2022-01878. Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities-Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel

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—Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel, Assistance Listing Number 84.325D. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.

DATES:

 

Applications Available: January 31, 2022.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 1, 2022.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 31, 2022.

Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than February 7, 2022, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. 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:

Celia Rosenquist, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5158, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants and toddlers, 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 and experience, to be successful in serving those children.

Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and one competitive preference priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority and competitive preference priority 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, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel.

Background:

The purpose of this priority is to support existing doctoral degree programs that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel who are well-qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions as researchers and special education/early intervention/related services personnel preparers in institutions of higher education (IHEs), or as leaders in State educational agencies (SEAs), lead agencies (LAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), early intervention services programs (EIS programs), or schools.

There is a well-documented need for special education, early intervention, and related services leadership personnel who serve critical roles within different settings (Bellamy & Iwaszuk, 2017; Castillo et al., 2014; Montrosse & Young, 2012; NCSI, 2018a; NCSI, 2018b; Robb et al., 2012; Tucker et al., 2020). For example, leadership personnel in IHEs teach practices supported by evidence to future special education, early intervention, related services, and general education professionals. These leaders also conduct research that increases knowledge of effective interventions and services for children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities. Special education and early intervention administrators who supervise and evaluate the implementation of instructional programs to ensure that State or local agencies are meeting the needs of children with disabilities also perform a critical leadership personnel role. Administrators also ensure that schools and programs meet Federal, State, and local requirements for special education, early intervention, and related services.

All leadership personnel need to promote high expectations and have current knowledge of effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities. This knowledge should be applicable to children served in a variety of educational settings ( e.g., urban or rural public schools, high-need schools or districts) or early childhood and early intervention settings ( e.g., home, community-based, Early Head Start and Head Start, childcare, or preschools). The interventions and services must include those that improve early childhood, educational, or employment outcomes. Leadership personnel are also essential to attracting, preparing, and retaining diverse and qualified individuals to the teaching profession and in providing them with practical knowledge and resources for their careers in education (Billingsley, Bettini, Mathews, & McLeskey, 2020; Brownell, Jones, Sohn, & Stark, 2020).

Critical competencies for special education, early intervention, or related services leadership personnel vary depending on the type of leadership personnel and the requirements of the preparation program but can include, for example, skills needed for postsecondary instruction, administration and supervision, research, policy development or implementation, organizational and system change, communication, and the use of technologies to support in-person and remote teaching (Boscardin & Lashley, 2018; Bruns et al., 2017). Scholars' acquisition of competencies and success in doctoral programs include factors such as supportive supervision, experiential learning opportunities, access to resources, and developing and enhancing professional networks and collaborative learning opportunities (Douglas, 2020; Sverdlik, Hall, McAlpine, & Hubbard, 2018). Networks are viewed as integral to leadership development and critical to addressing complex problems (Cullen-Lester, Maupin, & Lester, 2017; Hoppe & Reinelt, 2010).

Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to support existing doctoral degree programs that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel at the doctoral degree level who are well qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions as researchers and special education/early intervention/related services personnel preparers in IHEs, or as leaders in SEAs, LAs, LEAs, or EIS programs.

Note: Partnerships ^[1] comprised of two or three IHEs with existing doctoral programs that prepare scholars ^[2] are included in this priority and eligible to apply for funding. For additional information regarding group applications, refer to 34 CFR 75.127, 75.128, and 75.129.

This priority will provide support to help address identified needs for personnel with the knowledge and skills to establish and meet high expectations for each child with a disability. Programs must culminate in a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.). Applicants must plan to recruit and enroll the proposed number of scholars in the application within the first 12 months of the project period or demonstrate that scholars enrolled after the first 12 months can complete the program by the end of the proposed project period.

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, applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.

Note: Preparation programs that lead to clinical doctoral degrees in related services ( e.g., a Doctor of Audiology degree or Doctor of Physical Therapy degree) are not included in this priority. These types of preparation programs are eligible to apply for funding under the Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services priority (84.325K) that the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) intends to fund in FY 2022.

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 the need for leadership personnel to promote high expectations and provide, or prepare others to provide, effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities. ³ To address this requirement, the applicant must present—

(i) Appropriate and applicable data ( e.g., national, State) demonstrating the need for the leadership personnel the applicant proposes to prepare;

(ii) Data demonstrating the success of the doctoral program to date in producing leadership personnel in special education, early intervention, or related services, such as: The professional accomplishments of program graduates ( e.g., public service, awards, or publications) that demonstrate their leadership in special education, early intervention, or related services; the average amount of time it takes for program graduates to complete the program; the number and the percentage of scholars who enroll and who graduate, including the number of scholars from underrepresented backgrounds; and the percentage of program graduates finding employment related to their preparation, including those serving students with disabilities in underserved communities ( e.g., employed in districts with high rates of poverty); and

Note: Data on the success of a doctoral program should be no more than five years old on the start date of the project proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the denominator ( i.e., the total number of scholars or program graduates) must be provided.

(2) Scholar competencies to be acquired in the program relate to knowledge and skills needed by the leadership personnel the applicant proposes to prepare. To address this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Identify the competencies needed by leadership personnel to provide, or prepare others to provide, effective interventions and services, including through distance education, that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities; and

(ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the leadership preparation program, including any empirical support, that will promote the acquisition of the identified competencies needed by leadership personnel.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of project services,” how—

(1) The applicant will recruit and retain scholars 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 narrative must describe—

(i) The selection criteria the applicant will use to identify high-quality applicants for admission in the program;

(ii) The 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 individuals of color and individuals with disabilities; and

(iii) The approach the applicant will use to help all scholars, including scholars from traditionally underrepresented groups, including underrepresented individuals of color and individuals with disabilities, complete the program within the proposed project period; and

(2) The project is designed to promote the acquisition of the competencies needed by leadership personnel to promote high expectations and provide, or prepare others to provide, effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities. To address this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Describe how the components of the project, such as coursework, research requirements, internship experiences, work-based experiences, program evaluation or other opportunities provided to scholars, will enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by leadership personnel the applicant proposes to prepare;

(ii) Describe how the components of the project are integrated in order to support the acquisition and enhancement of the identified competencies needed by leadership personnel the applicant proposes to prepare;

(iii) If the proposed project is a partnership, describe how the components of the project are designed to ensure that scholars have opportunities to work with faculty and scholars at each IHE participating in the partnership that will promote the competencies needed by leaders the project proposes to prepare;

(iv) Describe how the components of the project prepare scholars to promote high expectations and to provide, or prepare others to provide, effective evidence-based interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities, in a variety of educational or early childhood and early intervention settings, including in-person and remote settings;

(v) Demonstrate, through a letter of support from a public or private partnering agency, school, or program, that it will provide scholars with a high-quality internship experience in a high-need LEA,^[4] a high-poverty school,^[5] a school implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan,^[6] a school implementing a targeted support and improvement plan ^[7] for children with disabilities, an SEA, an early childhood and early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA, or an early childhood and early intervention program 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;

(vi) Describe how the project will partner with diverse stakeholders, including individuals with disabilities and their families and individuals from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and their families, to inform and support project components;

(vii) Describe how the project will 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.

(viii) Describe the approach that will be used to mentor and support scholars, including scholars from traditionally underrepresented groups, with the goal of helping them acquire competencies needed by leadership personnel and advancing their careers in special education, early intervention, or related services;

(ix) Describe how the components of the project will promote the acquisition of scholars' critical leadership skills, including those related to communication, networking, and collaboration; and

(x) Describe how the components of the project will promote the acquisition of scholars' knowledge of strategies and approaches in attracting, preparing, and retaining future educators, including future educators with disabilities and racially and ethnically diverse future educators, who will work with and provide services to children with disabilities.

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation,” how the applicant will—

(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed leadership project have been met. The applicant must describe the outcomes to be measured for both the project and the scholars, particularly the acquisition of scholars' competencies; and the evaluation methodologies to be employed, including proposed instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses;

(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on current scholars and scholars who graduate from the program to improve the proposed program on an ongoing basis; and

(3) Report the evaluation results to OSEP in the applicant's annual and final performance reports.

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative under “Required Project Assurances” or appendices as directed, that the following program requirements are met. The applicant must—

(1) Include, in Appendix A of the application, the letter of support from the public or private partnering agency, school, or program that will provide scholars with a high-quality internship experience;

(2) Include in Appendix B of the application—

(i) Course syllabi for all coursework in the major and any required coursework for a minor;

(ii) Course syllabi for all research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses required by the degree program and elective research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses that have been completed by more than one scholar enrolled in the program in the last five years; and

(iii) For new coursework, proposed syllabi;

(3) Ensure that the proposed number of scholars will be recruited and enrolled into the program within the first 12 months of the project period or demonstrate that scholars enrolled after the first 12 months can graduate from the program by the end of the proposed project period. The described scholar recruitment strategies, the program components and their sequence, and proposed budget must be consistent with this requirement;

(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 the requirements in 34 CFR 304.23, particularly those related to (i) informing all scholarship recipients of their service obligation commitment; and (ii) disbursing scholarships. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements is a violation of the grant award that may 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 preparation program funded by OSEP;

(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;

(9) Ensure that scholar support costs ( e.g., tuition, stipends) are scholarship assistance and not financial assistance awarded on the condition that the scholar working for the grantee ( e.g., as graduate assistants);

(10) Ensure that the project will be operated in a manner consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution and Federal civil rights laws;

(11) Ensure that a revised project budget will be submitted to OSEP should the project not be able to recruit and enroll the proposed number of scholars that can graduate from the program by the end of the project period;

(12) Ensure that the budget includes attendance by the project director at a three-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC, or virtually, during each year of the project. The budget may also provide for the attendance of scholars at the same three-day project directors' meetings in Washington, DC, or virtually;

(13) Ensure, for partnership projects, that the project narrative addresses how policies, procedures, standards, and fiscal management of the partnership will be established;

(14) Ensure that the project director, key personnel, and scholars will actively participate in the cross-project collaboration, advanced trainings, and cross-site learning opportunities ( e.g., webinars, briefings) supported by OSEP. This network is intended to promote opportunities for participants to share resources and generate new knowledge by addressing topics of common interest to participants across projects including Department priorities and needs in the field;

(15) Ensure that if the project maintains a website, it will be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;

(16) Ensure that annual progress toward meeting project goals is posted on the project website;

(17) Ensure that scholar accomplishments ( e.g., public service, awards, publications) will be reported in annual and final performance reports; and

(18) 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 (d)(5) of this priority).

Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to applications that address the following priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 3 points to an application that meets the competitive preference priority. Applicants should indicate in the abstract if the competitive preference priority is addressed.

This priority is:

Competitive Preference Priority—Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 3 points)

(a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant ( i.e., the IHE) has not had an active discretionary grant under the program from which it seeks funds, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, in the last five years before the deadline date for submission of applications under the 84.325D program.

(b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant or contract is active until the end of the grant's or contract's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's or contractor's authority to obligate funds.

References

Bellamy, T., & Iwaszuk, W. (2017, October). Responding to the need for new local special education administrators: A case study. CEEDAR Center. https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/​wp-content/​uploads/​2018/​02/​Case-Study-SPED-10-29-17.pdf.

Billingsley, B., Bettini, E., Mathews, H.M., & McLeskey, J. (2020). Improving working conditions to support special educators' effectiveness: A call for leadership. Teacher Education and Special Education, 43 (1), 7-27.

Boscardin, M.L., & Lashley, C.L. (2018). Expanding the leadership framework to support socially just special education policy, preparation, and standards. In J.B. Crockett, B.S. Billingsley, & M.L. Boscardin (Eds.), The handbook of leadership and administration for special education. Routledge.

Brownell, M.T., Jones, N.D., Sohn, H., & Stark, K. (2020). Improving teaching quality for students with disabilities: Establishing a warrant for teacher education practice. Teacher Education and Special Education, 43 (1), 28-444.

Bruns, D.A., LaRocco, D.J., Sharp, O.L., & Sopko, K.M. (2017). Leadership competencies in U.S. early intervention/early childhood special education service systems: A national survey. Infants and Young Children, 30 (4), 304-319.

Castillo, J.M., Curtis, M.J., & Tan, S.Y. (2014). Personnel needs in school psychology: A 10-year follow-up study on predicted personnel shortages. Psychology in the Schools, 51 (8), 832-849.

Cullen-Lester, K.L., Maupin, C.K., & Carter, D.R. (2017). Incorporating social networks in leadership development: A conceptual model and evaluation of research and practice. The Leadership Quarterly, 28 (1), 130-152.

Douglas, A.S. (2020). Engaging doctoral students in networking opportunities: A relational approach to doctoral study. Teaching in Higher Education. https://doi.org/​10.1080/​13562517.2020.1808611.

Hoppe, B., & Reinelt, C. (2010). Social network analysis and the evaluation of leadership networks. The Leadership Quarterly, 21 (4), 600-619.

Montrosse, B.E., & Young, C.J. (2012). Market demand for special education faculty. Teacher Education and Special Education, 35 (2), 140-153.

National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI). (2018a). Leadership turnover: The impact on State special education systems. https://ncsi-library.wested.org/​resources/​250.

National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI). (2018b). Leadership turnover: The impact on State early intervention systems. https://ncsi-library.wested.org/​resources/​200.

Robb, S.M., Smith, D.D., & Montrosse, B.E. (2012). A context of the demand for special education faculty: A study of special education teacher preparation programs. Teacher Education and Special Education, 35 (2), 128-139.

Sverdlik, A., Hall, N.C., McAlpine, L., & Hubbard, K. (2018). The Ph.D. experience: A review of the factors influencing doctoral students' completion, achievement, and well-being. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 13, 361-388.

Tucker, D.A, Compton, M.V., Allen, S.J., Mayo, R., Hooper, C., Ogletree, B., Flynn, P. Frazier, A., McMurry, S. (2020). Exploring barriers to doctoral education in communication sciences and disorders: Insights from practicing professionals. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 1-12. https://doi.org/​10.1044/​2020_​PERSP-20-00019.

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 and requirements. 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.

Note: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.200(b)(4), the Department may award a cooperative agreement under this program if the Secretary determines that substantial involvement between the Department and the recipient is necessary to carry out a collaborative project.

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 no less than $6,250,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final 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: $225,000-$250,000 per year for an individual IHE; $450,000-$500,000 per year for a two-IHE partnership application; and $675,000-$750,000 for a three-IHE partnership application.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $237,500 per year for an individual IHE; $475,000 per year for a two-IHE group application; and $712,500 per year for a three-IHE group application.

Maximum Award: For a single budget period of 12 months, we will not make an award exceeding: For an individual IHE, $250,000; for a two-IHE group application, $500,000; and, for a three-IHE group application, $750,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 25 awards for individual IHEs. However, the total number of awards may change depending on the number of group application awards under the absolute priority.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations.

Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item described above if that item applies to a State or national parent organization, together with a statement by the State or parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing or matching is not required for this competition.

b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a training indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/​about/​offices/​list/​ocfo/​intro.html.

c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform Guidance.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application. Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may contract for supplies, equipment, and other services in accordance with 2 CFR part 200.

4. Other General Requirements:

a. Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

b. Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect to the aspects of their proposed project relating to the absolute priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on 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;

(ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project; and

(iii) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework underlying the proposed research or demonstration activities and the quality of that framework.

(b) Quality of project services (45 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.

(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) 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;

(ii) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a coherent, sustained program of training in the field; and

(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.

(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 timely guidance for quality assurance.

(d) Quality of the management plan and adequacy of resources (20 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan and the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the management plan and the adequacy of resources, 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 budget is adequate to support the proposed project.

2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process, while permitting panel members to review applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also have submitted applications.

4. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 200.206, before awarding grants under this competition the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions, and under 2 CFR 3474.10, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this competition to receive an award that over the course of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards—that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant—before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.

Please note that, if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

6. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting applications in accordance with—

(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);

(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in 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.

5. Performance Measures: For the purpose 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 the 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 ^[8] practices into their curricula; (2) the percentage of scholars completing preparation programs who are knowledgeable and skilled in evidence-based practices for children with disabilities; (3) the percentage of scholars who exit preparation programs prior to completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of scholars completing preparation programs 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: (1) The percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are employed in the field of special education for at least two years; (2) 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; and (3) 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.

Grantees may be asked to participate in assessing and providing information on these aspects of program quality.

6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the performance targets in the grantee's approved application.

In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT , individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register . You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register , in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at www.federalregister.gov. 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.

Footnotes

1.  For the purposes of this priority, a partnership is a group comprised of two or three IHEs with existing doctoral programs in which (a) each IHE enrolls and supports scholars as part of the partnership, and (b) the partnership provides joint experiences each year for scholars to learn from faculty and scholars at each participating IHE that promote the acquisition of leadership competencies through coursework, research, internship experiences, work-based experiences, or other opportunities as a requirement of the project.

2.  For the purposes of this priority, “scholar” is limited to an individual who (a) is pursuing a doctoral degree related to special education, early intervention, or related services; (b) receives scholarship assistance as authorized under section 662 of IDEA (34 CFR 304.3(g)); and (c) will be able to be employed in a position that serves children with disabilities for at least 51 percent of their time or case load. See https://pdp.ed.gov/​OSEP/​Home/​Regulation for more information.

3.  For purposes of this priority, “high-need children with disabilities” refers to children or students (ages birth through 21, depending on the State) who are eligible for services under IDEA, and who may be at risk of educational failure or otherwise in need of special assistance or support because they—(1) are living in poverty, (2) are English learners, (3) are academically far below grade level, (4) have left school before receiving a regular high school diploma, (5) are at risk of not graduating with a regular high school diploma on time, (6) are homeless, (7) are in foster care, or (8) have been incarcerated.

4.  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 served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line.

5.  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 is determined on the basis of the most currently available data.

6.  For the purposes of this priority, a “school implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan” is a school identified for comprehensive support and improvement by the State under section 1111(c)(4)(D) of the ESEA that includes (a) not less than the lowest-performing five percent of all schools 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.

7.  For the purposes of this priority, a “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.

8.  For the purposes of this performance measure, “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.