Applications for New Awards; American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services, 88041-88046 [2024-25774]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88041-88046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25774]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; American Indian Vocational 
Rehabilitation Services

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for American Indian 
Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS).

DATES: 
    Applications Available: November 6, 2024.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 6, 2025.
    Note: For new potential grantees unfamiliar with grantmaking at the 
Department, please consult our ``Getting Started with Discretionary 
Grant Applications'' web page at https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/apply-grant/getting-started-discretionary-grant-applications.
    Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than December 12, 
2024, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services will 
post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical 
assistance to interested applicants. The webinars may be found at 
https://ncrtm.ed.gov/index.php/grant-info.

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 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at 
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrienne Rodriguez, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4A10, Washington, DC 20202-
5076. Telephone: (202) 987-0049. Email: [email protected].
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and 
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide 
grants to Indian Tribes to provide vocational rehabilitation 
(VR)services, including culturally appropriate services, to eligible 
American Indians with disabilities who reside on or near Federal or 
State reservations, consistent with such eligible individual's 
strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, 
interests, and informed choice, so that such individuals may prepare 
for, and engage in, high-quality employment that will increase 
opportunities for economic self-sufficiency.
    Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.250R.
    OMB Control Number: 1820-0018.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority 
is from section 121(b)(4) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 
(Rehabilitation Act) (29 U.S.C. 741(b)(4)).
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional five 
points to an application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Continuation of Previously Funded Tribal Programs.

[[Page 88042]]

    In making new awards under this program, we give priority to 
applications for the continuation of programs that have been funded 
under the AIVRS program.
    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 741.
    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, 81, 82, and 84; (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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance 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 371.
    Note: As of October 1, 2024, grant applicants must follow the 
provisions stated in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance 
(89 FR 30046, April 22, 2024) when preparing an application. For more 
information about these regulations please visit: https://www.cfo.gov/resources-coffa/uniform-guidance/.
    Special Application Requirements: For FY 2025 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, the following Special Application Requirements 
from 34 CFR 371.21(a)-(k) apply:
    Each applicant under the program must provide evidence that--
    (a) Effort will be made to provide a broad scope of VR services in 
a manner and at a level of quality at least comparable to those 
services provided by the DSU.
    (b) All decisions affecting eligibility for VR services, the nature 
and scope of available VR services, and the provision of such services 
will be made by a representative of the Tribal VR program funded 
through this grant and such decisions will not be delegated to another 
agency or individual.
    (c) Priority in the delivery of VR services will be given to those 
American Indians with disabilities who are the most significantly 
disabled.
    (d) An order of selection of individuals with disabilities to be 
served under the program will be specified if services cannot be 
provided to all eligible American Indians with disabilities who apply.
    (e) All VR services will be provided according to an individualized 
plan for employment (IPE) that has been developed jointly by the 
representative of the Tribal VR program and each American Indian with 
disabilities being served.
    (f) American Indians with disabilities living on or near Federal or 
State reservations where Tribal VR service programs are being carried 
out under this part will have an opportunity to participate in matters 
of general policy development and implementation affecting VR service 
delivery by the Tribal VR program.
    (g) Cooperative working arrangements will be developed with the 
DSU, or DSUs, as appropriate, which are providing VR services to other 
individuals with disabilities who reside in the State or States being 
served.
    (h) Any comparable services and benefits available to American 
Indians with disabilities under any other program, which might meet in 
whole or in part the cost of any VR service, will be fully considered 
in the provision of VR services.
    (i) Any American Indian with disabilities who is an applicant or 
recipient of services, and who is dissatisfied with a determination 
made by a representative of the Tribal VR program and files a request 
for a review, will be afforded a review under procedures developed by 
the grantee comparable to those under the provisions of section 
102(c)(1)-(5) and (7) of the Rehabilitation Act.
    (j) The Tribal VR program funded under this part must assure that 
any facility used in connection with the delivery of VR services meets 
facility and program accessibility requirements consistent with the 
requirements, as applicable, of the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, 
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act, and the regulations implementing these laws.
    (k) The Tribal VR program funded under this part must ensure that 
providers of VR services are able to communicate in the native language 
of, or by using an appropriate mode of communication with, applicants 
and eligible individuals who have limited English proficiency, unless 
it is clearly not feasible to do so.
    Note: Applicants for the AIVRS program must provide evidence in 
their applications that their projects meet each of the Special 
Application Requirements in 34 CFR 371.21(a)-(k). This evidence must be 
provided using a Special Application Requirements form in Section D of 
the application package. This form must be completed by the applicant 
and submitted as an attachment to the application. An application is 
not complete without the Special Application Requirements form and will 
not be considered eligible for review without that completed form 
submitted by the applicant. The form must be uploaded under ``other 
attachments'' in grants.gov.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration intends to use 
approximately $4,000,000 for new awards for this program for FY 2025.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards (per year): $300,000-$750,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards (per year): $500,000.
    Note: The estimated range of awards and estimated average size of 
the award is for each individual year of the five years of the grant 
and not the total for all five years.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Applications may be made only by Indian 
Tribes (and consortia of those Indian Tribes) located on Federal and 
State reservations. The definition of ``Indian Tribe'' in section 
7(19)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act is ``any Federal or State Indian 
tribe, band, rancheria, pueblo, colony, or community, including any 
Alaskan native village or regional village corporation (as defined in 
or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) and 
a Tribal organization (as defined in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(l)).''
    ``Reservation'' is defined in 34 CFR 371.6 as ``a Federal or State 
Indian reservation, public domain Indian allotment, former Indian 
reservation in Oklahoma, land held by incorporated Native groups, 
regional corporations and village corporations under the provisions of 
the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; or a defined area of land 
recognized by a State or the Federal Government where there is a 
concentration of tribal members and on which the tribal government is 
providing structured activities and services.''

[[Page 88043]]

    Under 34 CFR 371.2, the applicant for an AIVRS grant must be--
    (1) The governing body of an Indian Tribe, either on behalf of the 
Indian Tribe or on behalf of a consortium of Indian Tribes; or
    (2) A Tribal organization that is a separate legal organization 
from an Indian Tribe.
    To receive an AIVRS grant, a Tribal organization that is not a 
governing body of an Indian Tribe must--
    (1) Have as one of its functions the vocational rehabilitation of 
American Indians with disabilities; and
    (2) Have the approval of the Tribe to be served by such 
organization.
    If a grant is made to the governing body of an Indian Tribe, either 
on its own behalf or on behalf of a consortium, or to a Tribal 
organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian Tribe, 
the approval of each such Indian Tribe is a prerequisite to the making 
of such a grant.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing is required by section 
121(a) of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 CFR 371.40 at 10 percent of the 
total cost of the project. However, if an applicant can demonstrate 
that they do not have sufficient resources to contribute the non-
Federal share of the cost of the project, the applicant may request a 
waiver, in part or in whole, to the cost sharing requirement in 
accordance with section 121(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and 
the implementing regulations at 34 CFR 371.40(c).
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 
unrestricted indirect cost rate. Applicants for this program are the 
governing bodies of Indian Tribes (or consortia of governing bodies) 
and have negotiated indirect cost rate agreements with a cognizant 
agency if indirect costs will be charged to the grant. For more 
information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated 
indirect cost rate, please see https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division.
    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 Guidance 
for Federal Financial Assistance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application. While subgrants are not permitted, under 
34 CFR 371.42(a), grantees are permitted to provide the VR services by 
contract or otherwise enter into an agreement with a designated State 
unit (DSU), a community rehabilitation program, or another agency to 
assist in the implementation of the Tribal VR program, as long as such 
contract or agreement is identified in the application.

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 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to 
submit an application.
    Note: RSA invites an applicant to indicate whether it intends to 
consolidate its AIVRS grant funds into a current or future 477 plan in 
accordance with the provisions of Public Law 115-93, the Indian 
Employment, Training and Related Services Consolidation Act of 2017 (25 
U.S.C. 3401 et seq.). Any request to consolidate AIVRS funds into a 477 
plan must be made separately to the U.S. Department of Interior. For 
further information on the integration of grant funds under this 
program and related programs, contact the Division of Workforce 
Development, Office of Indian Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. 
Department of the Interior at Office of Indian Services, Division of 
Workforce Development, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 C Street NW, MS-
3645-MIB, Washington, DC 20245, Telephone: (202) 219-3938; Email: 
[email protected].
    AIVRS grantees who are in their last year of AIVRS funding from a 
previous grant and have currently integrated that previous grant under 
an approved 477 plan must apply for a new AIVRS grant under this 
competition by submitting an application that meets all requirements 
included in this notice. If such an applicant receives a new AIVRS 
grant under this competition and wants to consolidate the new AIVRS 
grant in a 477 plan, it must notify the U.S. Department of Interior 
that it plans to do so.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210, have a maximum score of 100 points, and are as 
follows:
    (a) Need for Project and Significance (10 Points):
    The Secretary considers the need for and significance of the 
proposed project. In determining the need for and significance of the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates the 
magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the activities 
to be carried out by the proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the specific nature and magnitude of gaps 
or challenges are identified and the extent to which these gaps or 
challenges will be addressed by the services, supports, infrastructure, 
or opportunities described in the proposed project.
    (3) The potential contribution of the proposed project to improve 
the provision of rehabilitative services, increase the number or 
quality of rehabilitation counselors, or develop and implement 
effective strategies for providing vocational rehabilitation services 
to individuals with disabilities.
    (4) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local, State, regional, or national capacity to provide, improve, 
sustain, or expand training or services that address the needs of 
underserved populations.
    (b) Quality of the Project Design (20 Points):
    The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified, measurable, and 
ambitious yet achievable within the project period, and aligned with 
the purposes of the grant program.
    (2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project 
demonstrates meaningful community engagement and input to ensure that 
the project is appropriate to successfully address the needs of the 
target population or other identified needs and will be used to inform 
continuous improvement strategies.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project will include 
coordination with other Federal investments, as well as appropriate 
agencies and organizations

[[Page 88044]]

providing similar services to the target population.
    (c) Quality of Project Services (20 Points):
    The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided 
by the proposed project. In determining the quality of the services to 
be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the 
quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equitable and 
adequate access and participation for project participants who 
experience barriers based on one or more of the following: economic 
disadvantage; gender; race; ethnicity; color; national origin; 
disability; age; language; migration; living in a rural location; 
experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity; involvement with the 
justice system; pregnancy, parenting, or caregiver status; and sexual 
orientation. This determination includes the steps developed and 
described in the form Equity For Students, Teachers, And Other Program 
Beneficiaries (OMB Control No. 1894-0005) (section 427 of the General 
Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1228a)).
    In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project were determined with input from the community to be served to 
ensure that they are appropriate and responsive to the needs of the 
intended recipients or beneficiaries, including underserved 
populations, of those services.
    (2) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will lead to meaningful improvements in the skills and 
competencies necessary to gain employment in high-quality jobs, 
careers, and industries or build capacity for independent living.
    (3) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners, including 
those from underserved populations, to maximize the effectiveness of 
project services.
    (d) Quality of Project Personnel (15 Points):
    The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry 
out the proposed project. In determining the quality of project 
personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant 
demonstrates that it has project personnel or a plan for hiring of 
personnel who are members of groups that have historically encountered 
barriers, or who have professional or personal experiences with 
barriers, based on one or more of the following: economic disadvantage; 
gender; race; ethnicity; color; national origin; disability; age; 
language; migration; living in a rural location; experiencing 
homelessness or housing insecurity; involvement with the justice 
system; pregnancy, parenting, or caregiver status; and sexual 
orientation.
    In addition, the Secretary considers the extent to which the key 
personnel in the project, when hired, have the qualifications required 
for the proposed project, including formal training or work experience 
in fields related to the objectives of the project, and represent or 
have lived experiences of the target population.
    (e) Adequacy of Resources (10 Points):
    The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of support for the project, including facilities, 
equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (2) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    (3) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of persons to be served, the depth and intensity of services, 
and the anticipated results and benefits.
    (f) Quality of the Management Plan (15 Points):
    The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project 
objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (2) The adequacy of plans for ensuring the use of quantitative and 
qualitative data, including meaningful community member and partner 
input, to inform continuous improvement in the operation of the 
proposed project.
    (3) 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.
    (g) Quality of the Project Evaluation (10 Points):
    The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other 
evidence-building of the proposed project. In determining the quality 
of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers 
the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, relevant, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and 
outcomes of the proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other 
evidence-building include the use of objective performance measures 
that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and 
will produce quality data that are quantitative and qualitative.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other 
evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide 
formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of 
progress toward achieving intended outcomes.
    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. 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.
    4. 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

[[Page 88045]]

judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of 
performance under Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an 
applicant--before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any 
information about you that is in the integrity and performance system 
(currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity 
Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award 
Management. You may review and comment on any information about 
yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently 
in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN), or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We also may notify you 
informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. The standards for 
determining whether you are covered by 2 CFR part 170 are set out in 2 
CFR 170.105.
    (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.
    5. Performance Measures: For the purposes of reporting under 34 CFR 
75.110, the Department has established four performance measures for 
the AIVRS program. The measures are:
    (a) Of all those exiting the program, the percentage of individuals 
who leave the program with an employment outcome after receiving 
services under an IPE.
    (b)(1) The percentage of individuals who leave the program with an 
employment outcome after receiving services under an IPE.
    (2) The percentage of individuals who leave the program without an 
employment outcome after receiving services under an IPE.
    (3) The percentage of individuals who have not left the program and 
are continuing to receive services under an IPE.
    (c) The percentage of projects that demonstrate an average annual 
cost per employment outcome of no more than $35,000.
    (d) The percentage of projects that demonstrate an average annual 
cost of services per participant of no more than $10,000.
    Each grantee must annually report the data needed to measure its 
performance on these measures through the Annual Performance Reporting 
Form for the AIVRS program. Note: For purposes of this section, the 
term ``employment outcome'' means, with respect to an individual, (a) 
entering or retaining full-time or, if appropriate, part-time 
competitive employment in the integrated labor market; (b) satisfying 
the vocational outcome of supported employment; or (c) satisfying any 
other vocational outcome the Secretary of Education may determine to be 
appropriate (including satisfying the vocational outcome of customized 
employment, self-employment, telecommuting, or business ownership). 
(Section 7(11) of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 705(11)).
    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, whether 
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving 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, compact disc, or other accessible format.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this 
document, as well as all other Department documents published in the 
Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF

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you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site.
    You may also access Department documents 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.

Glenna Wright-Gallo,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-25774 Filed 11-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P