2010-10198. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.328C and 84.328M.

Note:

This notice invites applications for two separate competitions. For key dates, contact person information, and funding information regarding each competition, see the chart in the Award Information section of this notice.

Dates:

Applications Available: See chart.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that parents of children with disabilities receive training and information to help improve results for their children.

Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), these priorities are from allowable activities specified in the statute, or otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 671, 672 and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)). Each of the absolute priorities announced in this notice corresponds to a separate competition as follows:

Absolute priority	Competition CFDA No.
Community Parent Resource Centers	84.328C
Parent Training and Information Centers	84.328M

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2010 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from these competitions, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), for each competition, we consider only applications that meet the absolute priority for that competition.

The priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1—Community Parent Resource Centers (84.328C)

Background

Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children at school and at home (see section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA).

This priority supports Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in targeted communities that will provide underserved parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited English proficient children, and parents with disabilities in that community, with the training and information they need to enable them to participate cooperatively and effectively in helping their children with disabilities to—

(a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging academic achievement goals that have been established for all children; and

(b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible.

The following Web site provides further information on the work of previously funded centers: http://www.taalliance.org.

Priority

To be considered for funding under the CPRCs absolute priority, applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded under the absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.

Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its application—

(a) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project Activities section of this priority; and

(b) A budget for attendance at the following:

(1) A three-day National Technical Assistance for Parent Centers Conference in Washington, DC, during each year of the project period.

(2) A two-day Regional Technical Assistance for Parent Centers Conference, in the region in which the CPRC is located, during each year of the project period. Applicants should refer to http://www.taalliance.org for a list of regions.

Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the CPRC, at a minimum, must—

(a) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;

(b) Provide training and information that meets the training and information needs of parents of children with disabilities within the proposed targeted community to be served by the CPRC, particularly underserved parents and parents of children who may be inappropriately identified as having disabilities;

Note:

For purposes of this priority, “targeted community to be served” refers to a geographically defined, local community whose members experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support as a result of cultural, economic, linguistic, or other circumstances deemed appropriate by the Secretary.

(c) Carry out the following activities required of parent training and information centers:

(1) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children, from ages birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.

(2) Ensure that the training and information provided meet the needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children.

(3) Assist parents to—

(i) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;

(ii) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention services, transition services, and related services;

(iii) Participate in decisionmaking processes, including those regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the development of individualized education programs under Part B of IDEA and individualized family service plans under Part C of IDEA;

(iv) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type, and quality of—

(A) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and interventions based on scientifically based research, to the extent practicable; and

(B) Resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families in school and at home, including information available through the Office of Special Education Programs' (OSEP) technical assistance and dissemination centers (http://www.ed.gov/​parents/​needs/​speced/​resources.html), and communities of practice (http://www.tacommunities.org);

(v) Understand the requirements of IDEA related to the provision of education and early intervention services to children with disabilities;

(vi) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit their children; and

(vii) Participate in school reform activities.

(4) In States where the State elects to contract with the CPRCs, contract with the State educational agencies (SEAs) to provide, consistent with paragraphs (B) and (D) of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA, individuals to meet with parents in order to explain the mediation process.

(5) Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious and effective way possible, including encouraging the use and explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA.

(6) Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority (as appropriate under State law).

(7) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA.

(8) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and participating in, the resolution session described in section 615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;

(d) Establish cooperative partnerships with any Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and any other CPRCs funded in the State under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively;

(e) Be designed to meet the specific needs of families who experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support;

(f) Be familiar with the provision of special education, related services, and early intervention services in the CPRC's targeted community to be served to help ensure that children with disabilities are receiving appropriate services;

(g) Annually report to the Department on—

(1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the CPRC provided information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal year, including additional information regarding the parents' unique needs and the levels of service provided to them; and

(2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities, by providing evidence of how those parents were served effectively;

(h) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National and Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), and use the technical assistance services of the National and Regional PTACs in order to serve the families of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities as efficiently as possible. Regional PTACs are charged with assisting parent centers with administrative and programmatic issues;

(i) In collaboration with OSEP and the National PTAC participate in an annual collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and

(j) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer through phone conversations and e-mail communication.

In addition, the CPRC's board of directors must meet not less than once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the award was made and submit to the Secretary a written review of the CPRC's activities conducted during the preceding fiscal year.

Competitive Preference Priorities: Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to applications that address the following two priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award 5 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 and 5 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2.

Note:

The 10 points an applicant can earn under these competitive preference priorities are in addition to those points awarded under the selection criteria for this competition (see Selection Criteria in section V in this notice). That is, an applicant meeting the competitive preference priorities could earn a maximum total of 110 points.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1—Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities

We will award five points to an application that proposes to provide services to one or more Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities that are designated within the areas served by the center. (The following Web site provides a list of areas that have been selected as Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities: http://egis.hud.gov/​egis/​cpd/​rcezec/​ezec_​open.htm.)

To meet this priority, an applicant must indicate that it will—

(1) Either design a program that includes special activities focused on the unique needs of one or more Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities; or devote a substantial portion of program resources to providing services within, or meeting the needs of residents of, these zones and communities; and

(2) Contribute to the strategic plan of the Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities as appropriate, and become an integral component of the Empowerment Zone, Enterprise Community, or Renewal Community activities.

Competitive Preference Priority 2—Novice Applicants

We will award an additional five points to an application from a novice applicant. This priority is from 34 CFR 75.225. The term “novice applicant” means any applicant for a grant from the U.S. Department of Education that—

(1) Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from which it seeks funding;

(2) Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, that received a grant under the program from which it seeks funding; and

(3) Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal Government in the five years before the deadline date for applications under this program (Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities—Community Parent Resource Centers). For the purposes of this requirement, a grant is active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.

In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, all group members must meet the requirements described in this priority to qualify as a novice applicant.

Absolute Priority 2—Parent Training and Information Centers (84.328M)

Background

Almost 30 years of research and experience have demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children at school and at home (see section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA).

This priority supports Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) in the areas to be served by the centers that will provide parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited English proficient children, and parents with disabilities, with the training and information they need to enable them to participate cooperatively and effectively in helping their children with disabilities to—

(a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging academic achievement goals that have been established for all children; and

(b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible.

The following Web site provides more information on the work of previously funded centers: http://www.taalliance.org.

Priority

To be considered for funding under the PTIs absolute priority, applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded under the absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.

Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its application—

(a) A logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. A logic model communicates how a project will achieve its outcomes and provides a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the project;

Note:

The following Web site provides more information on logic models and lists multiple online resources: http://www.cdc.gov/​eval/​resources.htm.

(b) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project Activities section of this priority;

(c) A plan, linked to the proposed project's logic model, for a formative evaluation of the proposed project's activities. The plan must describe how the formative evaluation will use clear performance objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project, including objective measures of progress in implementing the project and ensuring the quality of products and services;

(d) A budget for attendance at the following:

(1) A three-day National Technical Assistance for Parent Centers Conference in Washington, DC during each year of the project period.

(2) A two-day Regional Technical Assistance for Parent Centers Conference, in the region in which the PTI is located, during each year of the project period. Applicants should refer to http://www.taalliance.org for a list of regions; and

(e) A description specifying the special efforts the PTI will make to:

(1) Ensure that the needs for training and information of underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be served are effectively met; and

(2) Work with community-based organizations, including those that work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children.

Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the PTI, at a minimum, must—

(a) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;

(b) Provide training and information that meets the training and information needs of parents of children with disabilities living in the area served by the PTI, particularly underserved parents and parents of children who may be inappropriately identified as having disabilities;

(c) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children from ages birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA;

(d) Ensure that the training and information provided meets the needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children;

(e) Assist parents to—

(1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;

(2) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention services, transition services, and related services;

(3) Participate in decisionmaking processes, including those regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the development of individualized education programs under Part B of IDEA and individualized family service plans under Part C of IDEA;

(4) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type and quality of—

(i) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the extent practicable; and

(ii) Resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families in school and at home, including information available through the Office of Special Education Programs' (OSEP) technical assistance and dissemination centers (http://www.ed.gov/​parents/​needs/​speced/​resources.html), and communities of practice (http://www.tacommunities.org);

(5) Understand the requirements of IDEA related to the provision of education and early intervention services to children with disabilities;

(6) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit their children; and

(7) Participate in school reform activities;

(f) In States where the State elects to contract with the PTIs, contract with the State educational agencies (SEAs) to provide, consistent with paragraphs (B) and (D) of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA, individuals to meet with parents in order to explain the mediation process;

(g) Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious and effective way possible, including encouraging the use and explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA;

(h) Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority (as appropriate under State law);

(i) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA;

(j) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and participating in, the resolution session described in section 615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;

(k) Establish cooperative partnerships with any CPRCs and any other PTIs funded in the State under sections 672 and 671 of IDEA, respectively;

(l) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including organizations conducting national dissemination activities under section 663 of IDEA and the Institute of Education Sciences, and with other national, State, and local organizations and agencies, such as protection and advocacy agencies that serve parents and families of children with the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA;

(m) Annually report to the Department on—

(1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the PTI provided information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal year, including additional information regarding the parents' unique needs and the levels of service provided to them; and

(2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities, by providing evidence of how those parents were served effectively;

(n) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National Parent Technical Assistance Center and Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), and use the technical assistance services of the National and Regional PTACs in order to serve the families of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities as efficiently as possible. Regional PTACs are charged with assisting parent centers with administrative and programmatic issues;

(o) In collaboration with OSEP and the National PTAC, participate in an annual collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and

(p) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer through phone conversations and e-mail communication.

In addition, the PTI's board of directors must meet not less than once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the award was made and submit to the Secretary a written review of the PTI's activities conducted during the preceding fiscal year.

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. 1472, 1473 and 1481. Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99.

Note:

The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except Federally recognized Indian Tribes.

II. Award Information

Type of Awards: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $4,805,022. Please refer to the “Estimated Available Funds” column of the chart in this section for the estimated dollar amounts for individual competitions. Information concerning funding amounts for individual States and target populations for the 84.328M competition is provided in the “Maximum Award” column of the chart in this section of this notice.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.

Maximum Award: See chart.

Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.

Project Period: See chart.

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities Program Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2010

CFDA No. and name	Applications available	Deadline for transmittal of applications	Deadline for intergovernmental review	Estimated available funds (See Note 2)	Estimated average size of awards (See Note 2)	Maximum award (See Note 1)	Estimated number of awards (See Note 2)	Project period	Page limit	Contact person
84.328C  Community Parent Resource Centers	May 3, 2010	June 17, 2010	August 16, 2010	$1,000,000	$100,000	$100,000	10	Up to 60 mos	50	Carmen Sanchez, [phone], PCP-4055.
84.328M Parent Training and Information Centers	May 3, 2010	June 17, 2010	August 16, 2010	3,805,022	253,668		17	Up to 48 mos. (See Note 3)	70	Marsha Goldberg, [phone], PCP-4052.
District of Columbia						182,061
Hawaii						205,444
Idaho						203,592
Louisiana						328,626
Mississippi						266,988
New Hampshire						203,415
North Carolina						538,997
Oklahoma						249,215
Pennsylvania
Region 1						393,285
Region 2						262,172
Rhode Island						204,196
Tennessee						357,103
Virgin Islands						129,515
West Virginia						205,413
Outlying Areas
American Samoa						25,000
Guam						25,000
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas						25,000

Note 1:

We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.

Note 2:

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

Note 3:

For the Parent Training and Information Centers, CFDA Number 84.328M competition:

Project Period: In order to allocate resources equitably, create a unified system of service delivery, and provide the broadest coverage for the parents and families in every State, the Assistant Secretary is making awards to PTIs in four-year cycles for each State. In FY 2010, applications for 4-year awards will be accepted for the following States: Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania (Region 1 and Region 2), Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Awards also may be made to eligible applicants in American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. These projects will be funded for a period up to 48 months.

Estimated Project Awards: Project award amounts are for a single budget period of 12 months. To ensure maximum coverage for this competition, the Assistant Secretary has adopted regional designations established within Pennsylvania and has identified corresponding maximum award amounts for each region. Pennsylvania applicants must complete a separate application for each region.

The Assistant Secretary took into consideration current funding levels, population distribution, poverty rates, and low-density enrollment when determining the award amounts for grants under this competition. In the following States, one award may be made for up to the amounts listed in the chart to a qualified applicant for a PTI Center to serve the entire State or District of Columbia.

District of Columbia	$182,061
Hawaii	205,444
Idaho	203,592
Louisiana	328,626
Mississippi	266,988
New Hampshire	203,415
North Carolina	538,997
Oklahoma	249,215
Rhode Island	204,196
Tennessee	357,103
Virgin Islands	129,515
West Virginia	205,413

In the following State one award up to the amount listed will be made to a qualified applicant for a PTI Center to serve each identified region. A list of the counties that are included in each region also follows.

Pennsylvania:

Region 1 (Adams, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming, and York Counties) $393,285

Region 2 (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties) $262,172

One award up to the amount listed may be made to a qualified applicant from the outlying areas as follows:

American Samoa	$25,000
Guam	25,000
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands	25,000

Consistent with 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any application that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the stated maximum award amount for that year.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Absolute Priority	Eligible Applicants
Community Parent Resource Centers (84.328C)	Local parent organizations.
Parent Training and Information Centers (84.328M)	Parent organizations.

Note:

Under section 672(a)(2) of IDEA, a “local parent organization” is a parent organization (as that term is defined in section 671(a)(2) of IDEA) that—

(a) Has a board of directors, the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26 from the community to be served.

(b) Has as its mission serving parents of children with disabilities from that community who (1) are ages birth through 26, and (2) have the full range of disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of IDEA.

Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA defines a “parent organization” as a private nonprofit organization (other than an institution of higher education) that—

(a) Has a board of directors—

(1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26;

(2) That includes—

(i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related services, and early intervention;

(ii) Individuals with disabilities; and

(iii) The parent and professional members of which are broadly representative of the population to be served, including low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and

(b) Has as its mission serving families of children with disabilities who are ages birth through 26, and have the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

3. Other: General Requirements—(a) The projects funded under this program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this program must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: [phone]. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.

You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.EDPubs.gov or at its e-mail address: [e-mail].

If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to identify the competition to which you want to apply, as follows: CFDA Number 84.328C or 84.328M.

Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for each competition.

Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than the number of pages listed under “Page Limit” for that competition in the chart under II. Award Information, using the following standards:

• A “page” is 8.5″ × 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, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. However, the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section (Part III).

We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or if you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Applications Available: See chart.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart.

Applications for grants under each competition may be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV.6. Other Submission Requirements of this notice.

We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.

Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the application process, the individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this notice.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.

4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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 each competition.

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under each competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications

If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you must use e-Application, accessible through the Department's e-Grants Web site at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

While completing your electronic application, you will be entering data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.

Please note the following:

• Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
• You must complete the electronic submission of your grant application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for these competitions after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
• The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00 a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and 6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
• You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format.
• You must submit all documents electronically, including all information you typically provide on the following forms: The Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material.
• Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice.
• Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may wish to print a copy of it for your records.
• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to your application).
• Within three working days after submitting your electronic application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control Center after following these steps:

(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.

(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.

(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.

(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at [phone].

• We may request that you provide us original signatures on other forms at a later date.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because e-Application is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if—

(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have initiated an electronic application for a competition; and

(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date; or

(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.

We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users who have initiated an e-Application.

Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of e-Application. If e-Application is available, and, for any reason, you are unable to submit your application electronically or you do not receive an automatic acknowledgment of your submission, you may submit your application in paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with the instructions in this notice.

b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail

If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.328C or 84.328M), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(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 of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 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.

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

Note:

The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.

c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery

If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.328C or 84.328M), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications:

If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department—

(1) You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this grant notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at [phone].

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package for each competition announced in this notice.

2. Review and Selection Process: 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 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. However, if the Department decides to select an equal number of applications in each group for funding, this may result in different cut-off points for fundable applications in each group.

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). 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. Reporting: 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 multi-year 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 http://www.ed.gov/​fund/​grant/​apply/​appforms/​appforms.html.

4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, the Department has established a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities program. The measures focus on the extent to which projects provide high-quality materials, the relevance of project products and services to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and the usefulness of products and services to improve educational and early intervention policy and practice.

Grantees will be required to provide information related to these measures in annual reports submitted to the Department.

Grantees also will be required to report information on their projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

See the chart in the II. Award Information section in this notice for the name, room number, and telephone number of the contact person for each competition. You can write to the contact person at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550.

If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll-free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: [phone]. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll-free, at 1-800-877-8339.

Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/​news/​fedregister. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site.

Note:

The official version of this 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.gpoaccess.gov/​nara/​index.html.

Dated: April 26, 2010.

Alexa Posny,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.