§ 318.22 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use to evaluate applications for preservice training, leadership training, professional development programs, regional model demonstration training programs on deafness and secondary disabilities, training educational interpreters, and training regular educators to serve students with deafness?

The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate all applications for preservice training under § 318.10(a)(1), leadership training under § 318.10(a)(2), professional development projects under § 318.10(a)(4), regional model demonstration training programs on deafness and secondary disabilities under § 318.10(a)(6), training educational interpreters under § 318.10(a)(7), and training regular educators to serve students with deafness under § 318.10(a)(8).

(a) Impact on critical present and projected needs. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which the training will have a significant impact on critical present and projected State, regional, or national needs in the quality or the quantity of personnel serving infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. The Secretary considers—

(1) The significance of the personnel needs to be addressed to the provisions of special education, related services, and early intervention. Significance of needs identified by the applicant may be shown by—

(i) Evidence of critical shortages of personnel to serve infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, including those with limited English proficiency, in targeted specialty or geographic areas, as demonstrated by data from the State comprehensive systems of personnel development; reports from the Clearinghouse on Careers and Employment of Personnel serving children and youth with disabilities; or other indicators of need that the applicant demonstrates are relevant, reliable, and accurate; or

(ii) Evidence showing significant need for improvement in the quality of personnel providing special education, related services, and early intervention services, as shown by comparisons of actual and needed skills of personnel in targeted speciality or geographic areas; and

(2) The impact the proposed project will have on the targeted need. Evidence that the project results will have an impact on the targeted needs may include—

(i) The projected number of graduates from the project each year who will have necessary competencies and certification to affect the need;

(ii) For ongoing programs, the extent to which the applicant's projections are supported by the number of previous program graduates that have entered the field for which they received training, and the professional contributions of those graduates; and

(iii) For new programs, the extent to which program features address the projected needs, the applicant's plan for helping graduates locate appropriate employment in the area of need, and the program features that ensure that graduates will have competencies needed to address identified qualitative needs.

(b) Capacity of the applicant. (25 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the capacity of the applicant to train qualified personnel, including consideration of—

(1) The qualifications and accomplishments of the project director and other key personnel directly involved in the proposed training program, including prior training, publications, and other professional contributions;

(2) The amount of time each key person plans to commit to the project;

(3) How the applicant, as a part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability;

(4) The adequacy of resources, facilities, supplies, and equipment that the applicant plans to commit to the project;

(5) The quality of the practicum training settings, including evidence that they are sufficiently available; apply state-of-the-art services and model teaching practices, materials, and technology; provide adequate supervision to trainees; offer opportunities for trainees to teach; and foster interaction between students with disabilities and their nondisabled peers;

(6) The capacity of the applicant to recruit well-qualified students;

(7) The experience and capacity of the applicant to assist local public schools and early intervention service agencies in providing training to these personnel, including the development of model practicum sites; and

(8) The extent to which the applicant cooperates with the State educational agency, the State-designated lead agency under part H of the Act, other institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private agencies in the region served by the applicant in identifying personnel needs and plans to address those needs.

(c) Plan of operation. (25 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including—

(1) High quality in the design of the project;

(2) The extent to which the plan of management ensures effective, proper, and efficient administration of the project;

(3) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program;

(4) The way the applicant plans to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective;

(5) The extent to which the application includes a delineation of competencies that program graduates will acquire and how the competencies will be evaluated;

(6) The extent to which substantive content and organization of the program—

(i) Are appropriate for the students’ attainment of professional knowledge and competencies deemed necessary for the provision of quality educational and early intervention services for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities; and

(ii) Demonstrate an awareness of methods, procedures, techniques, technology, and instructional media or materials that are relevant to the preparation of personnel who serve infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities; and

(7) The extent to which program philosophy, objectives, and activities implement current research and demonstration results in meeting the educational or early intervention needs of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

(d) Evaluation plan. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation—

(1) Are appropriate for the project;

(2) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable, including, but not limited to, the number of trainees graduated and hired; and;

(3) Provide evidence that evaluation data and student follow-up data are systematically collected and used to modify and improve the program. (See 34 CFR 75.590, Evaluation by the grantee.)

(e) Budget and cost-effectiveness. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which—

(1) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project activities;

(2) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project; and

(3) The applicant presents appropriate plans for the institutionalization of federally supported activities into basic program operations.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1820-0028)