[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45122-45147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21301]
[[Page 45121]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part IX
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Special Education: State Program Improvement Grants Program; Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 2000; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 159 / Wednesday, August 18, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 45122]]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.323A]
Special Education: State Program Improvement Grants Program
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2000
Note to applicants: This notice is a complete application
package. Together with the statute authorizing the program and the
applicable regulations governing this program, including the
Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR),
this notice contains all of the information, application forms, and
instructions needed to apply for a grant under this program.
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program, authorized under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of
1997, is to assist State educational agencies to establish a
partnership with local educational agencies and other State agencies
involved in, or concerned with, reforming and improving their systems
for providing educational, early intervention, and transitional
services, including their systems for professional development,
technical assistance, and dissemination of knowledge about best
practices, to improve results for children with disabilities.
Eligible Applicants: A State educational agency of one of the 50
States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or
an outlying area (United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa,
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
General requirements: (a) Projects funded under this notice must
make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified
individuals with disabilities in project activities (see Section 606 of
IDEA); and
(b) Projects funded under these priorities must budget for a two-
day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, D.C. during each year of
the project.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 15, 1999.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: February 13, 2000.
Available Funds: $7 million.
Estimated range of awards: Awards will be not less than $500,000,
nor more than $2,000,000, in the case of the 50 States, the District of
Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and not less than
$80,000, in the case of an outlying area. This means that the
Department will reject and will not consider any application that
proposes a budget that exceeds the maximum award amount or is less than
the minimum award amount for any single budget period of 12 months. The
Secretary sets the amount of each grant after considering:
(1) The amount of funds available for making the grants;
(2) The relative population of the State or outlying area; and (3)
The types of activities proposed by the State or outlying area.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,000,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by the estimated
size and number of awards in this notice.
Project Period: Not less than one year and not more than five
years.
Page Limits: The application narrative is where an applicant
addresses the selection criteria that are used by reviewers in
evaluating the application. An applicant must limit the narrative to
the equivalent of no more than 100 double-spaced pages, using the
following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/2\'' x 11'' (one side
only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). (2) All text in
the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes,
quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs, must be double-spaced (no more than three
lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional computer font, use no
smaller than a 12-point font, and an average character density no
greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a nonproportional font or
a typewriter, do not use more than 12 characters to the inch.
The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget
section (including the narrative budget justification); the assurances
and certifications; or the one-page abstract, appendices, resumes,
bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the application
narrative must be included in the narrative section. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81,
82, 85, and 86; and (b) The selection criteria for this program are
drawn from EDGAR in 34 CFR 75.210.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Description of Program: The statutory authorization for this
program and the application requirements that apply to this competition
are set out in sections 651-655 of the IDEA.
Findings and Purposes
(a) States are responding with some success to multiple pressures
to improve educational and transitional services and results for
children with disabilities in response to growing demands imposed by
ever-changing factors, such as demographics, social policies, and labor
and economic markets.
(b) In order for States to address those demands and to facilitate
lasting systemic change that is of benefit to all students, including
children with disabilities, States must involve local educational
agencies, parents, individuals with disabilities and their families,
teachers and other service providers, and other interested individuals
and organizations in carrying out comprehensive strategies to improve
educational results for children with disabilities.
(c) Targeted Federal financial resources are needed to assist
States, working in partnership with others, to identify and make needed
changes to address the needs of children with disabilities into the
next century.
(d) State educational agencies, in partnership with local
educational agencies and other individuals and organizations, are in
the best position to identify and design ways to meet emerging and
expanding demands to improve education for children with disabilities
and to address their special needs.
(e) Research, demonstration, and practice over the past 20 years in
special education and related disciplines have built a foundation of
knowledge on which State and local systemic-change activities can now
be based.
(f) That research, demonstration, and practice in special education
and related disciplines have demonstrated that an effective educational
system now and in the future must--
(1) Maintain high academic standards and clear performance goals
for children with disabilities, consistent with the standards and
expectations for all students in the educational system, and provide
for appropriate and effective strategies and methods to ensure that
students who are children with disabilities have maximum opportunities
to achieve those standards and goals;
(2) Create a system that fully addresses the needs of all students,
including children with disabilities, by addressing the needs of
children with
[[Page 45123]]
disabilities in carrying out educational reform activities;
(3) Clearly define, in measurable terms, the school and post-school
results that children with disabilities are expected to achieve;
(4) Promote service integration, and the coordination of State and
local education, social, health, mental health, and other services, in
addressing the full range of student needs, particularly the needs of
children with disabilities who require significant levels of support to
maximize their participation and learning in school and the community;
(5) Ensure that children with disabilities are provided assistance
and support in making transitions as described in section 674(b)(3)(C)
of the Act;
(6) Promote comprehensive programs of professional development to
ensure that the persons responsible for the education or a transition
of children with disabilities possess the skills and knowledge
necessary to address the educational and related needs of those
children;
(7) Disseminate to teachers and other personnel serving children
with disabilities research-based knowledge about successful teaching
practices and models and provide technical assistance to local
educational agencies and schools on how to improve results for children
with disabilities;
(8) Create school-based disciplinary strategies that will be used
to reduce or eliminate the need to use suspension and expulsion as
disciplinary options for children with disabilities;
(9) Establish placement-neutral funding formulas and cost-effective
strategies for meeting the needs of children with disabilities; and
(10) Involve individuals with disabilities and parents of children with
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating systemic-change
activities and educational reforms.
(10) Involve individuals with disabilities and parents of children
with disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating systemic-
change activities and educational reforms.
Absolute Priority: Under section 653 and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the
Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the
following priority. The Secretary funds under this competition only
those applications that meet this absolute priority.
This priority supports projects that assist State educational
agencies and their partners in reforming and improving their systems
for providing educational, early intervention, and transitional
services, including their systems for professional development,
technical assistance, and dissemination of knowledge about best
practices, to improve results for children with disabilities.
State Improvement Plan. Applicants must submit a State improvement
plan that--
(a) Is integrated, to the maximum extent possible, with State plans
under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, if appropriate;
(b) Identifies those critical aspects of early intervention,
general education, and special education programs (including
professional development, based on an assessment of State and local
needs) that must be improved to enable children with disabilities to
meet the goals established by the State under section 612(a)(16) of the
Act. Specifically, applicants must include:
(1) An analysis of all information, reasonably available to the
State educational agency, on the performance of children with
disabilities in the State, including--
(i) Their performance on State assessments and other performance
indicators established for all children, including drop-out rates and
graduation rates;
(ii) Their participation in postsecondary education and employment;
and
(iii) How their performance on the assessments and indicators
compares to that of non-disabled children;
(2) An analysis of State and local needs for professional
development for personnel to serve children with disabilities that
includes, at a minimum:
(i) The number of personnel providing special education and related
services; and
(ii) Relevant information on current and anticipated personnel
vacancies and shortages (including the number of individuals described
in paragraph (b)(2)(i) with temporary certification), and on the extent
of certification or retraining necessary to eliminate those shortages,
that is based, to the maximum extent possible, on existing assessments
of personnel needs;
(3) An analysis of the major findings of the Secretary's most
recent reviews of State compliance, as they relate to improving results
for children with disabilities; and
(4) An analysis of other information, reasonably available to the
State, on the effectiveness of the State's systems of early
intervention, special education, and general education in meeting the
needs of children with disabilities;
(c) Describes a partnership agreement that--
(1) Specifies--
(i) The nature and extent of the partnership among the State
educational agency, local educational agencies, and other State
agencies involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with
disabilities, and the respective roles of each member of the
partnership; and
(ii) How those agencies will work in partnership with other persons
and organizations involved in, and concerned with, the education of
children with disabilities, including the respective roles of each of
these persons and organizations; and
(2) Is in effect for the period of the grant;
(d) Describes how grant funds will be used in undertaking the
systemic-change activities, and the amount and nature of funds from any
other sources, including funds under part B of the Act retained for use
at the State level under sections 611(f) and 619(d) of the Act, that
will be committed to the systemic-change activities;
Describes the strategies the State will use to address the needs
identified under paragraph (b), including how it will--
(1) Change State policies and procedures to address systemic
barriers to improving results for children with disabilities;
(2) Hold local educational agencies and schools accountable for
educational progress of children with disabilities;
(3) Provide technical assistance to local educational agencies and
schools to improve results for children with disabilities;
(4) Address the identified needs for in-service and pre-service
preparation to ensure that all personnel who work with children with
disabilities (including both professional and paraprofessional
personnel who provide special education, general education, related
services, or early intervention services) have the skills and knowledge
necessary to meet the needs of children with disabilities, including a
description of how it will--
(i) Prepare general and special education personnel with the
content knowledge and collaborative skills needed to meet the needs of
children with disabilities, including how the State will work with
other States on common certification criteria;
(ii) Prepare professionals and paraprofessionals in the area of
early intervention with the content knowledge and collaborative skills
needed to meet the needs of infants and toddlers with disabilities;
(iii) Work with institutions of higher education and other entities
that (on
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both a pre-service and an in-service basis) prepare personnel who work
with children with disabilities to ensure that those institutions and
entities develop the capacity to support quality professional
development programs that meet State and local needs;
(iv) Work to develop collaborative agreements with other States for
the joint support and development of programs to prepare personnel for
which there is not sufficient demand within a single State to justify
support or development of such a program of preparation;
(v) Work in collaboration with other States, particularly
neighboring States, to address the lack of uniformity and reciprocity
in the credentialing of teachers and other personnel;
(vi) Enhance the ability of teachers and others to use strategies,
such as behavioral interventions, to address the conduct of children
with disabilities that impedes the learning of children with
disabilities and others;
(vii) Acquire and disseminate, to teachers, administrators, school
board members, and related services personnel, significant knowledge
derived from educational research and other sources, and how the State,
if appropriate, will adopt promising practices, materials, and
technology;
(viii) Recruit, prepare, and retain qualified personnel, including
personnel with disabilities and personnel from groups that are
underrepresented in the fields of regular education, special education,
and related services;
(ix) Integrate its plan, to the maximum extent possible, with other
professional development plans and activities, including plans and
activities developed and carried out under other Federal and State laws
that address personnel recruitment and training; and
(x) Provide for the joint training of parents and special
education, related services, and general education personnel;
(5) Address systemic problems identified in Federal compliance
reviews, including shortages of qualified personnel;
(6) Disseminate results of the local capacity-building and
improvement projects funded under section 611(f)(4) of the Act;
(7) Address improving results for children with disabilities in the
geographic areas of greatest need; and
(8) Assess, on a regular basis, the extent to which the strategies
implemented under this subpart have been effective; and
(9) Coordinate its improvement strategies with public and private
sector resources.
Required partners. Applicants must:
(a) Establish a partnership with local educational agencies and
other State agencies involved in, or concerned with, the education of
children with disabilities; and
(b) Work in partnership with other persons and organizations
involved in, and concerned with, the education of children with
disabilities, including--
(1) The Governor;
(2) Parents of children with disabilities;
(3) Parents of nondisabled children;
(4) Individuals with disabilities;
(5) Organizations representing individuals with disabilities and
their parents, such as parent training and information centers;
(6) Community-based and other nonprofit organizations involved in
the education and employment of individuals with disabilities;
(7) The lead State agency for part C of the Act;
(8) General and special education teachers, and early intervention
personnel;
(9) The State advisory panel established under part B of the Act;
(10) The State interagency coordinating council established under
part C of the Act; and
(11) Institutions of higher education within the State.
Optional partners. A partnership established by applicants may
include agencies such as--
(a) Individuals knowledgeable about vocational education;
(b) The State agency for higher education;
(c) The State vocational rehabilitation agency;
(d) Public agencies with jurisdiction in the areas of health,
mental health, social services, and juvenile justice; and (e) Other
individuals.
Reporting procedures. Each State educational agency that receives a
grant shall submit performance reports to the Secretary pursuant to a
schedule to be determined by the Secretary, but not more frequently
than annually. The reports must describe the progress of the State in
meeting the performance goals established under Section 612(a)(16) of
the Act, analyze the effectiveness of the State's strategies in meeting
those goals, and identify any changes in the strategies needed to
improve its performance. Grantees must also provide information
required under EDGAR at 34 CFR 80.40.
Use of funds. Each State educational agency that receives a State
Improvement Grant under this program--
(a) May use grant funds to carry out any activities that are
described in the State's application and that are consistent with the
purpose of this program;
(b) Must, consistent with its partnership agreement established
under the grant, award contracts or subgrants to local educational
agencies, institutions of higher education, and parent training and
information centers, as appropriate, to carry out its State improvement
plan;
(c) May award contracts and subgrants to other public and private
entities, including the lead agency under part C of the Act, to carry
out that plan;
(d)(1) Must use not less than 75 percent of the funds it receives
under the grant for any fiscal year--
(i) To ensure that there are sufficient regular education, special
education, and related services personnel who have the skills and
knowledge necessary to meet the needs of children with disabilities and
developmental goals of young children; or
(ii) To work with other States on common certification criteria; or
(2) Must use not less than 50 percent of those funds for these
purposes, if the State demonstrates to the Secretary's satisfaction
that it has the personnel described in paragraph (d)(1).
Selection Criteria: (1) The Secretary uses the following selection
criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications for new grants under
this competition.
(2) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
(3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses.
(a) Need for project. (19 points).
The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project.
In determining the need for the project the Secretary considers the
extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses.
(b) Significance. (19 points).
The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project.
In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the likelihood that the proposed project will
result in system change or improvement.
(c) Quality of the project design. (19 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the
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Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
(iii) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
(iv) The extent to which the design of the proposed project
reflects up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
(v) The extent to which the proposed project will establish
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing
services to the target population.
(vi) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support
rigorous academic standards for students.
(d) Quality of project personnel. (8 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will
carry out the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel.
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.
(e) Adequacy of resources. (8 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization.
(ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(iii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project.
(iv) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed
project.
(v) The potential for continued support of the project after
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated
commitment of appropriate entities to such support.
(f) Quality of the management plan. (8 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) 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.
(ii) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of
services, or others, as appropriate.
(g) Quality of the project evaluation. (19 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 methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
(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.
(iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.
One of the objectives of the Executive Order is to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened federalism. The
Executive Order relies on processes developed by State and local
governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial
assistance.
This document provides early notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process
under Executive order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established
in each State under the Executive Order. The addresses of individual
State Single Point of Contact are in the Appendix to this notice.
In States that have not established a process or chosen a program
for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit
comments directly to the Department.
Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide,
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary,
E.O. 12372--CFDA# 84.323A, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20202-0124.
Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the date
indicated in this notice.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS NOT THE SAME ADDRESS AS THE
ONE TO WHICH THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ITS COMPLETED APPLICATION. DO NOT
SEND APPLICATIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.
Instructions for Transmittal of Applications: If an applicant wants
to apply for a grant, the applicant must:
(1) Mail the original and six copies of the application on or
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA# 84.323A), Washington, DC 20202-4725.
or
(2) Hand-deliver the original and six copies of the application by
4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the deadline date to:
U.S. Department of
[[Page 45126]]
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA# 84.323A), Room
#3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, SW., Washington,
DC.
(b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of
mailing:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
(c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service,
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of
mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should
check with its local post office.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from
the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the
U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202)
708-9495.
The applicant must indicate on the envelope and'if not provided
by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for Federal
Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number and suffix letter, if
any, of the competition under which the application is being
submitted.
Application Instructions and Forms: The appendix to this notice is
divided into three parts, plus a statement regarding estimated public
reporting burden, additional non-regulatory guidance, and various
assurances, certifications, and required documentation. These parts and
additional materials are organized in the same manner that the
submitted application should be organized. The parts and additional
materials are as follows:
Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev.
4-88)) and instructions.
Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No.
524) and instructions. The budget section of the application form
requires all applicants for multi-year projects to provide detailed
budget information for the total grant period requested. The Department
will establish, at the time of initial award, the funding levels for
each year of the grant award. By requesting detailed budget information
in the initial application for the total grant period, the need for a
formal noncompeting continuation application in the remaining years has
been eliminated. A performance report will be required annually to
determine substantial progress, rather than a non-competing
continuation application.
Part III: Application Narrative.
Additional Materials
The following forms and other items must be included in the
application: a. Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
b. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B) and
instructions.
c. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED
80-0013).
d. Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and
Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014) and
instructions. (NOTE: ED Form GCS-0014 is intended for the use of
grantees and should not be transmitted to the Department.)
e. Certification of Eligibility for Federal Assistance in Certain
Programs (ED 80-0016)
f. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if
applicable) and instructions. The document has been marked to reflect
statutory changes. See the notice published by the Office of Management
and Budget in the Federal Register (61 FR 1413) on (January 19, 1996).
g. Addresses of the individual State Single Point of Contact.
h. Table of Contents.
An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications.
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications
must each have an original signature. All applicants must submit ONE
original signed application, including ink signatures on all forms and
assurances, and THREE copies of the application. Please mark each
application as ``original'' or ``copy''. No grant may be awarded unless
a completed application has been received.
For Applications and General Information Contact: Requests for
applications and general information should be addressed to the Grants
and Contracts Services Team, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., room 3317,
Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. The preferred method for
requesting information is to FAX your request to: (202) 205-8717.
Telephone: (202) 260-9182.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the TDD number: (202) 205-8953.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of this notice or
the application packages referred to in this notice in an alternate
format (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by
contacting the Department as listed above. However, the Department is
not able to reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms
included in the application package.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the
following sites:
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you
have questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing
Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC,
area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of a document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://
www.access.gpo.gov/nara/intex.html
Dated: August 11, 1999.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
Estimated Public Reporting Burden
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this
information collection is OMB No. 1820-0620. The time required to
complete this information collection is estimated to average between
50-130 hours per response, including the time to review instructions,
search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete
and review the information collection. If you have any comments
concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for
improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education,
Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have any comments or concerns
regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write
directly to: Office of
[[Page 45127]]
Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20202-2641.
Application Narrative
The narrative should address fully all aspects of the selection
criteria in the order listed and should give detailed information
regarding each criterion. Do not simply paraphrase the criteria.
Provide position descriptions, not resumes.
Budget
Budget line items must support the goals and objectives of the
proposed project and be directly applicable to the program design and
all other project components.
Final Application Preparation
Use the above checklist to verify that all items are addressed.
Prepare one original with an original signature, and include three
additional copies. Do not use elaborate bindings or covers. The
application must be mailed to the Application Control Center (ACC) and
postmarked by the deadline date of December 15, 1999.
Questions and Answers
Following is a series of questions and answers that will serve as
guidance for State Educational Agency in completing the grant
application for a State Improvement Grant (SIG) as authorized by the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The questions were
chosen to provide additional insight into the statutory requirements
contained in the grant application. The questions were generated from a
number of sources including parents of students with disabilities,
Regional Resource Centers, the Federal Resource Center, State Directors
of Special Education, State Educational Agency staff and staff from the
Office of Special Education Programs.
Eligible Applicants
1. Who may apply for a State Improvement Grant?
A State Educational Agency of one of the 50 States, the District of
Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or an outlying area
(United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).1 (Sections
602(18), 602(27), 652(a), and 655(a)(1)(2)).
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\1\ Unless otherwise noted, the term ``State'' refers to the 50
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
and the outlying areas (United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
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2. Can two or more SEAs apply jointly for a SIG?
No. A State applying for a State Improvement Grant shall submit an
individual application. However, included in the application will be a
description of how: (1) the State will work to develop collaborative
agreements with other States for the joint support and development of
programs to prepare personnel for which there is not sufficient demand
within a single State to justify support or development of such a
program of preparation; and (2) the State will work in collaboration
with other States, particularly neighboring States, to address the lack
of uniformity and reciprocity in the credentialing of teachers and
other personnel (Section 653(c)(3)(D)(iv) and (v)).
Partners
3. With whom is the State supposed to form partnerships and how are
such partnerships structured?
Part D Subpart 1--State Program Improvement Grants for Children
with Disabilities, Section 652 (b) describes three types of State
partners. In order to be considered for a State Improvement Grant, a
State educational agency must establish a partnership with individuals
and organizations considered ``Required Partners.'' Required partners
are made up of two subsets of partners--those called ``Contractual
partners'' and those called ``Other partners.'' The SEA's contractual
partners are local educational agencies and other State agencies
involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with
disabilities. These partners are called contractual because they must
be parties to a formal ``partnership agreement'' that is explained
further below in question four.
The ``other partners'' are individuals and organizations involved
in, and concerned with, the education of children with disabilities,
with whom the SEA must work in partnership to implement the State
improvement grant. Other partners may be, but the SEA is not required
to make them, parties to the formal partnership agreement. Those
``other partners'' must include the Governor; parents of children with
disabilities; parents of nondisabled children; individuals with
disabilities; organizations representing individuals with disabilities
and their parents, such as parent training and information centers;
2 community-based and other nonprofit organizations involved
in the education and employment of individuals with disabilities; the
lead State agency for Part C; general and special education teachers,
and early intervention personnel; the State advisory panel established
under Part B; the State interagency coordinating council established
under Part C; and institutions of higher education (IHEs) within the
State. The State is encouraged to only partner with those IHEs that are
currently implementing or, based on the partnership Agreement, will
develop and implement, training programs that are consistent with the
principles of IDEA 97 (e.g., training that facilitates access to the
general education curriculum; training that facilitates inclusionary
practices; joint training of general educators, special educators and
parents, where appropriate; training that targets pedagogical practices
that focus on accommodating and modifying instruction to meet State
standards). Based on the needs assessment, the State must focus at
least 75% of the funds received under the State Improvement Grant on
the professional development and training of regular education, special
education, or related services personnel (only 50% of the funds must be
used on professional development if the State can demonstrate to the
Secretary that it has sufficient personnel; see question 13 for
additional clarification). In order to ensure that the perspectives of
school based staff are represented in the grant activities, the State
is encouraged to incorporate into its partnership agreement and
partnership activities, professional organizations that negotiate for
and may represent school-based staff. In addition to required partners,
the SEA, at its option, may include as partners individuals and
organizations called Optional Partners. The SEA may include ``optional
partners'' as parties to the formal partnership agreement or work in
partnership with them, without them being parties to the partnership
agreement. Those optional partners may include individuals
knowledgeable about vocational education, the State agency for higher
education, the State vocational rehabilitation agency, public agencies
with jurisdiction in the areas of health, mental health, social
services, and juvenile justice and other individuals.
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\2\ States in which Community Parent Resource Centers are
located are encouraged to include these organizations as ``other
partners.''
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4. What is the partnership agreement and what must it include?
Each State Improvement Plan submitted with the State's application
shall include a description of the partnership agreement entered into
by the SEA with its contractual partners and with any ``other'' and
``optional''
[[Page 45128]]
partners who will be parties to the partnership agreement. As specified
in the grant application package, the partnership agreement must
specify the nature and extent of the partnership among the SEA, the
LEAs, and other State agencies involved in, or concerned with, the
education of children with disabilities. It must specify the respective
roles of each member of the partnership in the implementation of the
State improvement plan. The partnership agreement must also specify how
the SEA, LEAs, and other State agencies identified above, will work in
partnership with other persons and organizations involved in, and
concerned with, the education of children with disabilities (these
would be the ``other partners'' and any ``optional partners''), and
must specify the respective roles of each of these persons and
organizations (Section 53(c)(1)(B)). The partnership agreement must
indicate that it is in effect for the period of the grant. The terms of
the partnership agreement will determine whether the SEA will award
subgrants or contracts to any of the partners listed in Section
654(a)(2)(A).
5. What is the connection between the partnership agreement and the
SEA's use of funds?
The SEA shall, as appropriate, award contracts or subgrants to
LEAs, IHEs, and parent training and information centers identified in
the partnership agreement to carry out the State improvement plan. To
carry out the State improvement plan, the SEA may also award contracts
and subgrants to other public and private entities, including the lead
agency under Part C and other agencies that are partners, as well as
public and private entities that are not partners. It is anticipated
that an SEA will need and desire the resources of other individuals and
organizations to develop and implement all of the systemic change,
technical assistance, in-service and pre-service training,
dissemination and assessment activities designated in the State
improvement plan. There is, however, no required amount of funds that
must be used for contracts or subgrants (Section 654(a)(2)).
Funding Availability and Levels
6. What are the grant amounts to States?
The Secretary shall make a grant to each State educational agency
whose application the Secretary has selected for funding under this
subpart in an amount for each fiscal year that is: (1) not less than
$500,000, nor more than $2,000,000, in the case of the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and (2) not
less than $80,000, in the case of an outlying area (United States
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands (Section 655(a)). This means that the
Department will reject and will not consider any application that
proposes a budget that exceeds the maximum award amount or is less than
the minimum award amount for any single budget period of 12 months.
7. How will decisions be made regarding the amount of funds that
states will receive if approved for a State Improvement Grant?
The Secretary will set the amount of each grant, within the limits
outlined in the response to question 6, after considering: (1) the
relative population of the State; (2) the types of activities proposed
by the State; and (3) the amount of funds available for making the
grants (Section 655(c)). Using the same considerations, the Secretary
funded successful applications for fiscal year 1998 at the following
levels:
Vermont.................................................... $500,000
Utah....................................................... $578,551
New Hampshire.............................................. $600,000
Hawaii..................................................... $600,000
Idaho...................................................... $625,000
Iowa....................................................... $875,526
Kansas..................................................... $900,000
Kentucky................................................... $1,000,000
Massachusetts.............................................. $1,009,000
Alabama.................................................... $1,025,000
Georgia.................................................... $1,060,000
Maryland................................................... $1,095,000
Missouri................................................... $1,145,000
Virginia................................................... $1,240,000
Ohio....................................................... $1,320,000
Pennsylvania............................................... $1,320,000
Michigan................................................... $1,320,000
California................................................. $1,840,000
8. How will the connection between grant amounts and ``need'' be
determined?
As previously stated in the response to question 7, the Secretary
shall set the amount of each grant after considering: (1) the relative
population of the State; (2) the types of activities proposed by the
State or outlying area; and (3) the amount of funds available for
making the grants. ``Need'' will be determined through the quality of
the needs assessment performed under Section 653(b) including: (i) an
analysis of all information, reasonably available to the State
educational agency, on the performance of children with disabilities in
the State; (ii) an analysis of State and local needs for professional
development for personnel to serve children with disabilities; (iii) an
analysis of the major findings of the Secretary's most recent reviews
of State compliance, as they relate to improving results for children
with disabilities; and (iv) an analysis of other information, for
example, findings made by the Secretary's Office for Civil Rights,
reasonably available to the State, on the effectiveness of the State's
systems of early intervention, special education, and general education
in meeting the needs of children with disabilities.
9. What will the Secretary consider in making an award on a
competitive basis?
Using the selection criteria identified elsewhere in this
application package, the Secretary expects to select for funding
applications from States that demonstrate a need for improvement and
effective strategies to meet those State needs. The application should
show how the State plans to fulfill the purpose of the State
Improvement Grant, which is to assist State educational agencies and
their partners in reforming and improving their systems for providing
educational, early intervention, and transitional services, including
their systems for professional development, technical assistance, and
dissemination of knowledge about best practices, to improve results for
children with disabilities. The Secretary may give priority to
applications on the basis of need, as indicated by such information as
the findings of Federal compliance reviews (Section 653(d)).
Improvement Strategies and Use of Funds
10. Can funds from the State Improvement Grants be distributed to
LEAs on a competitive basis?
Yes. The statute does not provide a particular method for States to
use when distributing State Improvement Grant funds to LEAs or other
entities. When awarding and administering subgrants, under 34 CFR
Sec. 80.37(a), the State must follow state law and procedures. As long
as the SEA's plan to contract or subgrant SIG funds is consistent with
the partnership agreement and the funds are used to support the
activities specified in the approved grant application, there is no
statutory prohibition against the funds being distributed to LEAs on a
competitive basis.
11. Can charter schools be involved as partners in the State
Improvement Grant?
Yes. Charter schools are schools under contract--or charter--
between a public agency and groups of parents, teachers, community
leaders or others who want to create alternatives and choice within the
public school system.
Charter schools can be involved as partners in the State
Improvement Grant, either as an LEA or as part of an
[[Page 45129]]
existing LEA, consistent with the State charter schools law.
12. Does the ``service obligation'' apply to the use of State
Improvement Grant funds if they are being used for scholarships?
No. The ``service obligation'' contained under the Personnel
Preparation discretionary grant program provides that a recipient of a
scholarship funded by the Personnel Preparation program under Section
673(b), (c), (e), and to the extent appropriate (d), shall subsequently
perform work in the field in which they were trained or repay the cost
of the financial assistance. The service obligation only applies to
scholarships awarded under the Personnel Preparation program.
13. Can funds be used to prepare early intervention personnel?
Yes, but only in limited circumstances. Under Section 654(b)(1) a
State educational agency that receives a grant shall use not less than
75 percent of the funds it receives under the grant for any fiscal year
to work with other States on common certification criteria or to ensure
that there are sufficient regular education, special education, and
related services personnel who have the skills and knowledge necessary
to meet the needs of children with disabilities and developmental goals
of young children. This section ensures that based on the needs
assessment, the State focuses at least 75% of the funds received under
the State Improvement Grant on the professional development and
training of regular education, special education, or related services
personnel. Only 50% of the funds must be used on professional
development if the State can demonstrate to the Secretary that it has
sufficient personnel. Training that prepares personnel to deliver early
intervention services that could not also be considered regular
education, special education, or related services would not be a
permissible use of the 75%, or 50% as the case may be, of the funds.
However, it would be permissible for early intervention personnel to
participate in training in those areas of special education and related
services that would be useful to them, even if the training is funded
using the 75% of the funds. There is no limitation on the use of the
remaining 25% of the funds received under the SIG; it can be used to
train personnel to provide early intervention services or for any other
activity in an approved SIG.
14. How does a State demonstrate that it meets the requirement to
use at least 75% (or 50% if applicable) of the grant funds for
professional development?
States should structure the presentation of their budget so that
the Department can easily determine that the State has met the 75% or
50% requirement as the case may be.
15. What is the relationship of the SIG to the State set aside
under Part B?
In order to carry out the activities proposed in the State's SIG
application, a State may choose to supplement the State Improvement
Grant award with funds from the IDEA Part B State set aside (i.e., the
portion of the IDEA, Part B grant awards retained for use by the SEA
under Sections 611(f) and 619(d) of the Act for discretionary
purposes).
16. Can funds from sources other than the SIG be used to support
the required activities for awards under this program?
Yes. In addition to the SIG award, funds from other sources (e.g.,
other IDEA discretionary grants, Part B State set aside funds,
preschool grants) may be used, so long as those activities are
permissible under the funding statute and regulations to carry out any
activities described in the State's SIG application. States may also
use funds from private sources (e.g., foundations) to carry out
activities described in the State's application. In its State
Improvement Plan, the State must describe the amount and nature of
funds from any other sources, including the Part B funds retained for
use under Sections 611(f) and 619(d) of the Act and Part D
discretionary funds that will be committed to the SIG program.
17. Can SIG funds be used for direct services to children with
disabilities?
Yes. The statute does not forbid the use of SIG funds for direct
services to children with disabilities; however, funding for these
services must come from the 25% or 50% of the grant award, as the case
may be, not obligated by statute to fund professional development
activities or to work with other States on common certification
criteria. In addition, the need for direct services must be one of the
critical aspects of early intervention, general education and special
education identified in the State's needs assessment. The direct
services improvement strategy must be described in the State's
application and be consistent with the purpose of the grant, which is
to assist State educational agencies and their partners in reforming
and improving their systems for providing educational, early
intervention, and transitional services, including their systems for
professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of
knowledge about best practices, to improve results for children with
disabilities.
Strategies Used to Address Identified Needs
18. Is interstate personnel preparation mandatory?
No. The State is required to describe how it will work to develop
collaborative agreements with other States for the joint support and
development of programs to prepare personnel for which there is not
sufficient demand within the State to justify support or development of
such a program of preparation (Section 653(c)(3)(D)(iv)). If the State
demonstrates, through its needs assessment, that there is sufficient
demand within the State to support its own personnel preparation
programs, then interstate collaborative agreements are not required.
19. Is training of general education personnel required?
Yes. In its application, the State is required to include a
description of how the State will prepare general as well as special
education personnel with the content knowledge and collaborative skills
needed to meet the needs of children with disabilities (Section
653(c)(3)(D)(i)).
20. Is training of parents required?
Yes. In its application, the State is required to include a
description of how the State will provide for the joint training of
parents and special education, related services, and general education
personnel (Section 653(c)(3)(D)(x)).
Role of Regional Resource Center/Technical Assistance and Dissemination
Projects
21. What role can the Regional Resource Center (RRC) play in the
development of the State Improvement Plan and grant application?
The RRC is encouraged to provide general technical assistance to
States in the development of their State Improvement Plans. An RRC is
funded to provide technical assistance and resources to all states
within its region and must do so on an equitable basis across those
States. Helping States improve their special education programs is the
central mission of the RRCs and many State activities related to the
State Improvement Grant program will be crucial in these improvement
efforts. It would be inappropriate, however, for an RRC to help a State
in drafting its grant application or even to provide technical
assistance on strategies to improve the competitiveness of a State's
application because it could be viewed as providing a competitive
advantage to one potential applicant over another. On the other
[[Page 45130]]
hand, helping States, for example, with data analyses, needs
assessments, and facilitating meetings concerning planning the States'
improvement activities could be, except as noted above, a part of the
RRC's technical assistance activities to the States in their region.
RRCs can also assist States in their implementation of a State
Improvement Grant once those grants are awarded.
22. Can the State use SIG funds to subcontract or contract with the
University or entity in which the RRC is located to carry out SIG
activities?
Yes. The State can use SIG funds to subgrant or contract with the
University or entity in which the RRC is located to carry out SIG
activities. However, the University or other entity would need to
ensure that personnel time and other resources covered by the RRC's
cooperative agreement with the Department are not used to work on SIG
activities performed under such a subgrant or contract and that work
done under such other subcontract or contract is not represented as
being performed as part of the cooperative agreement with the
Department of Education.
23. Can Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) projects
funded by OSEP play a role in SIG activities?
Similarly to RRCs, TA&D projects funded by OSEP must ensure that
the services they provide are fairly and evenhandedly available to
their respective audience (under the terms of their OSEP funding
agreement/grant/contract) in all States, that the proposed SIG activity
is permissible under the terms of the particular Project's funding
agreement/ grant/contract/ with OSEP and that Projects do not accept
SIG funds under contract or grant with an SEA for activities they are
currently receiving Federal funds to provide. In addition, TA&D
projects, like the RRCs, should not engage in activities that could be
seen as providing a competitive advantage to any one State over others
in the SIG competition.
Relationship between State Improvement Plan and other Federal Statutes
and Requirements
24. What is the link between the Comprehensive System of Personnel
Development (CSPD) and the SIG? What are the similarities and
differences?
The requirements for a CSPD as amended by IDEA 97 must be
implemented by July 1, 1998 regardless of whether or not a State
receives a SIG. Under Section 612(a)(14) of IDEA, in order to be
eligible for funding under Part B, a State must have in effect a
comprehensive system of personnel development that is designed to
ensure an adequate supply of qualified special education, regular
education, related services, and early intervention personnel and that
meets the requirements contained in the personnel development sections
of the State Improvement Plan addressing needs assessment and
improvement strategies. It is intended that the CSPD meet the SIG
personnel development requirements so that it may serve as the
framework for the State's personnel development part of a SIG grant
application.
25. To what extent does this plan have to be linked to the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
To the ``maximum extent possible'' State Improvement Plans must be
linked to State plans under ESEA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The IDEA Amendments of 1997 emphasize that children with disabilities
have access to the general curriculum and general educational reforms.
Although the legislation does not mention integration with any other
state plans under any other Federal statute, because the State
Improvement Plan is focused on systems change for students with
disabilities, integration with relevant state plans or projects would
be beneficial (Section 653(a)(2)(A)).
26. What is the relationship between the performance goals and
indicators a State must have to be eligible for Part B and the State
Improvement Plan?
Under Part B (612(a)(16)), in order to be eligible to receive
financial assistance under Part B, the State must have in place by July
1, 1998 performance goals for children with disabilities that must
promote the purposes of the IDEA and be consistent, to the maximum
extent appropriate, with other goals and standards developed for
children established by the State and performance indicators to assess
progress toward achieving those goals. A State must have developed
those performance goals and indicators in order to apply for a State
Improvement Grant because in conducting the needs assessment required
as part of its application, the State shall identify those critical
aspects of early intervention, general education, and special education
programs that must be improved to enable children with disabilities to
meet the performance goals and indicators established by the State for
the performance of children with disabilities under Section 612(a)(16).
In submitting the required SIG performance reports to the Secretary
under Section 653(f), the State shall describe the progress of the
State in meeting the performance goals established under section
612(a)(16), analyze the effectiveness of the State's strategies in
meeting those goals, and identify any changes in the strategies needed
to improve its performance.
Monitoring and Corrective Action Plans
27. How is the State Improvement Grant aligned with Federal
compliance reviews?
There are three areas in which the State Improvement Grant aligns
with Federal compliance reviews. First, the State improvement plan must
include an analysis of the major findings of the Secretary's most
recent reviews of State compliance, as they relate to improving results
for children with disabilities (Section 653(b)(2)(C)). The second is
that the State improvement plan must include a description of
strategies that will address systemic problems identified in Federal
compliance reviews, including shortages of qualified personnel (Section
653(c)(3)(E). The third area of alignment with monitoring is that in
determining competitive awards the Secretary may give priority to
applications on the basis of need, as indicated by such information as
the findings of Federal compliance reviews (Section 653(d)(2)).
28. Can the State Improvement Grant funds be used to address
deficiencies identified in Federal compliance reviews?
Yes, if the activities to address the deficiencies are consistent
with the purposes of the grant and described in the State's
application. If, for example, a Federal compliance review identified
that a personnel shortage impacted on the provision of a free
appropriate public education to students with disabilities, then it
would be consistent with the purposes of the grant to use grant funds
to address the personnel shortage.
Applications, Length of Awards, and Reapplication
29. Can the first grant be written as a planning grant?
No. The purpose of the SIG program is to assist State educational
agencies, and their partners referred to in Section 652(b), in
reforming and improving their systems for providing educational, early
intervention, and transitional services, including their systems for
professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of
knowledge about best practices, to improve results for children with
disabilities. In order to be funded a State must include in its
application improvement strategies that were developed to address State
and local needs identified in the State needs
[[Page 45131]]
assessment. The purpose of the needs assessment is to provide the
necessary information to facilitate the development of a State
improvement plan that identifies those critical aspects of early
intervention, general education, and special education programs that
must be improved to enable children with disabilities to meet the goals
established by the State under Section 612(a)(16). In conjunction with
the needs assessment, the improvement strategies (Section 653(c))
subsumed in the State Improvement Plan constitute the State's plan for
the use of SIG funds.
30. What grant period can a State request in its initial
application?
A state may request a grant of from one to five years. However, the
Secretary may award a grant that is shorter than the state requests,
but not less than one year, if the state's application does not
sufficiently justify the full requested duration.
31. If a project is funded for less than five years, can it be
extended later?
No, with the exception of relatively short ``no-cost'' extensions
that are sometimes given to allow the completion of project activities.
These extensions do not award new funds or approve new activities.
32. After a state completes one State Program Improvement Grant,
can it apply for another? If so, will it compete against all applicants
or only against other states that have received previous grants?
Yes, a state can apply for another SIG after it completes one. It
will be in competition with all applicants, not just those with
previous grants. The Secretary may give priority to applications on the
basis of need (Section 653(d)(2)).
33. If a state applies unsuccessfully in one year, will it be able
to apply again?
Yes.
34. Will a project be approved and funded all at once or a year at
a time?
At the time of the initial grant award, the project duration of one
to five years will be determined and budgets for all years of the grant
will be established. However, funds can only be awarded one year at a
time. States receiving multi-year grants will submit annual performance
reports to demonstrate that their grants are making ``substantial
progress.'' Funding for project years after the first will be based, in
part, on these reports. This is not part of the competitive process of
awarding funds, and it is expected that funding will be continued each
year for the duration of the project, provided that substantial
progress is demonstrated and that Congress continues to fund the
program.
35. Does funding have to be the same for all years of the project?
No, but cannot exceed $2 million or be less than $500,000.
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[FR Doc. 99-21301 Filed 8-17-99; 8:45 am]
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