1092 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 4 / Thursday, January 7, 2021 / Notices 

information from the public, 

governmental agencies, Tribes, the 

scientific community, industry, 

environmental entities, and any other 

interested parties concerning the status 

of staghorn coral, elkhorn coral, pillar 

coral, rough cactus coral, lobed star 

coral, mountainous star coral, and 

boulder star coral. 

The 5-year review considers the best 

scientific and commercial data and all 

new information that has become 

available since the listing determination 

or most recent status review. Categories 

of requested information include (A) 

species biology including, but not 

limited to, population trends, 

distribution, abundance, demographics, 

and genetics; (B) habitat conditions 

including, but not limited to, amount, 

distribution, and suitability; (C) 

conservation measures that have been 

implemented that benefit the species; 

(D) status and trends of threats; and (E) 

other new information, data, or 

corrections including, but not limited 

to, taxonomic or nomenclature changes 

and improved analytical methods. 

If you wish to provide information for 

this 5-year review, you may submit your 

information and materials electronically 

at www.regulations.gov or via email (see 

ADDRESSES section). We request that all 

information be accompanied by 

supporting documentation such as 

maps, bibliographic references, or 

reprints of pertinent publications. We 

also would appreciate the submitter’s 

name, address, and any association, 

institution, or business that the person 

represents; however, anonymous 

submissions will also be accepted. 

(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 

Dated: January 4, 2021. 

Angela Somma, 

Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office 

of Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00032 Filed 1–6–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; 

Rehabilitation Training: Disability 

Innovation Fund—Career 

Advancement Initiative Model 

Demonstration Project 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Education (Department) is issuing a 

notice inviting applications for fiscal 

year (FY) 2021 for the Disability 

Innovation Fund—Career Advancement 

Initiative Model Demonstration Project, 

Assistance Listing Number 84.421C. The 

Department intends to fund a multi-site 

model demonstration project designed 

to assist State vocational rehabilitation 

(VR) agencies, in partnership with other 

entities, to develop career pathways 

focused on career advancement. This 

competition will help VR-eligible 

individuals with disabilities, including 

previously served VR participants in 

employment who re-enter the VR 

program, to advance in high-demand, 

high-quality careers, such as science, 

technology, engineering, and math 

(STEM), including computer science, 

careers; to enter career pathways in 

industry-driven sectors through preapprenticeships, registered 

apprenticeships and Industry 

Recognized Apprenticeship Program 

(IRAP); to improve and maximize 

competitive integrated employment 

outcomes, economic self-sufficiency, 

independence, and inclusion in society; 

and to reduce reliance on public 

benefits (e.g., Supplemental Security 

Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability 

Insurance (SSDI), and/or Temporary 

Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), 

and State or local benefits). This notice 

relates to the approved information 

collection under OMB control number 

1820–0018. 

DATES: 

Applications Available: January 7, 

2021. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: April 7, 2021. 

Date of Pre-Application Meeting: The 

Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will 

post a PowerPoint presentation that 

provides general information about the 

Rehabilitation Services Administration’s 

(RSA) discretionary grants and a 

PowerPoint presentation specifically 

about the Disability Innovation Fund— 

Career Advancement Initiative Model 

Demonstration Projects at https://

ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx. 

OSERS will conduct a pre-application 

meeting specific to this competition via 

conference call to respond to questions. 

Information about the pre-application 

meeting will be available at https://

ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx prior 

to the date of the call. OSERS invites 

you to send questions to 84.421C@

ed.gov in advance of the pre-application 

meeting. The teleconference 

information, including the 84.421C preapplication meeting summary of the 

questions and answers, will be available 

at https://ncrtm.ed.gov/ 

RSAGrantInfo.aspx within six days after 

the pre-application meeting. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: May 7, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on February 13, 2019 

(84 FR 3768) and available at 

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR–2019– 

02–13/pdf/2019–02206.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cassandra P. Shoffler, U.S. Department 

of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue 

SW, Room 5065A, Potomac Center 

Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–2800. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7827. Email: 

84.421C@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay 

Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 

8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) 

Program, as provided by the Further 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 

(Pub. L. 116–94), is to support 

innovative activities aimed at improving 

the outcomes of individuals with 

disabilities, as defined in section 

7(20)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973, as amended, including activities 

aimed at improving the education and 

post-school outcomes of children 

receiving SSI and their families that 

may result in long-term improvement in 

the SSI child recipient’s economic 

status and self-sufficiency. 

Priorities: This competition contains 

an absolute priority and an invitational 

priority. We are establishing the 

absolute priority for the FY 2021 grant 

competition, and any subsequent year in 

which we make awards from the list of 

unfunded applications from this 

competition, in accordance with section 

437(d)(1) of the General Education 

Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 

1232(d)(1). 

Absolute Priority: This priority is an 

absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 

75.105(c)(3), we consider only 

applications that meet this priority. 

This priority is: 

Career Advancement Initiative Model 

Demonstration Project. 

Background: 

Though always permissible under the 

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program, 

the amendments to the Rehabilitation 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 4 / Thursday, January 7, 2021 / Notices 1093 

Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) made 

by the Workforce Innovation and 

Opportunity Act (WIOA) clarified and 

emphasized that individuals with 

disabilities were eligible for VR services 

for the purpose of advancing in 

employment. Among the stated 

purposes of WIOA, Congress included— 

To improve the quality and labor market 

relevance of workforce investment, 

education, and economic development efforts 

to provide America’s workers with the skills 

and credentials necessary to secure and 

advance in employment with familysustaining wages. 

WIOA Section 2, Paragraph (3); 29 

U.S.C. 3101(3) (emphasis added). As 

such, the VR program is not solely 

intended to place individuals with 

disabilities in entry-level jobs, but, 

rather, to assist them to obtain, retain, 

advance in, or regain employment, 

consistent with their unique strengths, 

resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, 

capabilities, and informed choice, 

through the services and supports 

identified on their individualized plans 

for employment (IPE). 

While the VR program has a long 

history of helping individuals with 

disabilities secure employment, there is 

room for improvement in helping 

individuals with disabilities move off of 

public benefits and advance in 

employment, which as used in section 

102(a)(1)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act, 

includes both advancing within current 

employment and advancing into new 

employment. 

Our examination of RSA–911 data for 

program year (PY) 2019, located at 

https://rsa.ed.gov/performance-data/ 

rsa-911-policy-directive, demonstrates 

that, of 361,421 new applicants, 105,760 

(29 percent) reported their primary 

source of support as SSI, SSDI, or 

TANF. Of the 128,866 individuals who 

exited the VR program in competitive 

integrated employment (CIE), 15,233 (12 

percent) indicated that their primary 

source of support was still SSI, SSDI, or 

TANF. 

The U.S. Department of Labor Federal 

Minimum Wage website, https://

www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/ 

minimumwage, indicates that the 

Federal minimum wage for covered 

nonexempt employees is $7.25 per hour. 

There are numerous States with 

minimum wage laws. In cases where an 

employee is subject to both the State 

and Federal minimum wage laws, the 

employee is entitled to the higher of the 

two minimum wages. Participants who 

exited the VR program in CIE reported 

a median wage of $12 per hour and 

median 30 hours worked per week. 

Approximately 80 percent of 

participants earned less than $17 per 

hour. Of the 128,866 individuals who 

exited the VR program in CIE, 28,926 

(22 percent) indicated that they had 

private insurance through their 

employer and 3,309 (3 percent) 

indicated that they were not yet eligible 

for private insurance through their 

employer. 

The 10 most common occupations, 

reported by fully one third of the 

participants who exited in CIE, were: 

1. Stock Clerks and Order Fillers; 

2. Customer Service Representatives; 

3. Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and 

Housekeeping Cleaners; 

4. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and 

Material Movers, Hand; 

5. Retail Salespersons; 

6. Cashiers; 

7. Combined Food Preparation and Serving 

Workers, including Fast Food; 

8. Food Preparation Workers; 

9. Production Workers, All Other; and 

10. Dishwashers. 

Wages at this level, in combination 

with less than full-time work in these 

positions and without employerprovided medical benefits, provide little 

opportunity for individuals to reduce 

their reliance on public benefits (e.g., 

SSI, SSDI, and/or TANF, and State or 

local benefits), and the wages suggest 

that there is room for many individuals 

with disabilities to advance in 

employment and their careers. To 

emphasize the point, individuals who 

earned $20 per hour or more reported 

their top five occupations as: 

1. Registered Nurses; 

2. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers; 

3. Managers, All Other; 

4. Teachers and Instructors, All Other; and 

5. Accountants and Auditors. 

The Department believes that career 

pathways provide a mechanism for VR 

agencies to assist VR eligible 

individuals with disabilities, including 

previously served VR participants in 

employment who re-enter the VR 

program, to obtain or advance in 

employment or change careers. 

In FY 2015, RSA awarded four Career 

Pathways for Individuals with 

Disabilities projects under the 

Demonstration and Training program. 

Early results from States that received 

these awards are encouraging. In 2015, 

Nebraska VR created the Career 

Pathways Advancement Project and 

employed the upskill/backfill model of 

career pathways advancement for their 

former VR participants in five career 

pathways based upon the State’s 

economy’s needs: Information 

Technology; Manufacturing; 

Transportation, Distribution, and 

Logistics; Healthcare; and Architecture/ 

Construction (Moore, D., Haines, K., 

Drudik, J., Arter, Z., and Foley, S. 

(2020). Upskill/Backfill Model of Career 

Pathways Advancement: The Nebraska 

Vocational Rehabilitation Approach. 

Journal of Applied Rehabilitation 

Counseling, 51(3), 1–14). The results of 

Nebraska’s project demonstrate that this 

model does assist former clients in 

advancing in their careers, as well as 

obtaining CIE that comes with higher 

income and benefits (Moore et al., 

2020). As former clients are increasing 

their skills or ‘‘getting upskilled’’ (e.g., 

through credentialed training programs) 

and advancing in their careers, new 

clients can fill the newly vacated 

positions (Moore et al., 2020). In 

Georgia, the project focused on 

expanding pre-employment transition 

services to students with disabilities 

and transition services to VR eligible 

students, thereby increasing the number 

of participants who achieved a 

recognized post-secondary credential 

from 12 in FY 2016 to 353 in FY 2020. 

In Kentucky, the focus was on career 

pathways STEM events, employer 

engagement, and workforce 

partnerships, which resulted in an 

increase in employment outcomes from 

168 in FY 2017 to 294 in FY 2019. In 

Virginia, the focus was on sustainable 

strategies, including business-driven 

strategies and credential training, which 

resulted in an increase in the number of 

credentials obtained from 8 in FY 2016 

to 56 in FY 2020 and an increase in the 

number of individuals whose cases were 

closed in competitive integrated 

employment outcomes from 7 in FY 

2016 to 32 in FY 2020. 

Further, Congress made career 

pathways a necessary, if not 

foundational, part of WIOA’s workforce 

reforms. States, for example, are 

required to include career pathways in 

their workforce development systems, 

WIOA section 101(d)(3)(B); career 

pathways are required in training 

programs, WIOA section 101(d)(5)(C); 

and local workforce development 

boards are required to include career 

pathways in their local plans, WIOA 

sections 107(d)(5), 108(b)(3). 

As earning a degree or certificate may 

be part of a successful career pathway, 

RSA–911 data show that while many VR 

customers are pursuing degrees or 

certificates, there are opportunities for 

many more to do so. Of the 875,275 

individuals in receipt of VR services 

through an IPE during PY 2019, 154,239 

participants (18 percent) were enrolled 

in some form of postsecondary 

education or career/technical training, 

80,916 (9 percent) received either 

Associate, Bachelor, or Graduate School 

training, 31,258 (4 percent) received 

vocational training and 194 participants 


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1This competition is aligned with the aims of the 

Federal Government’s five-year strategic plan for 

STEM education entitled Charting A Course for 

Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education 

(Plan) published in December 2018, including the 

Plan’s overarching goal to Increase Diversity, 

Equity, and Inclusion in STEM. https://

www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ 

STEM-Education-Strategic-Plan-2018.pdf. 

2For purposes of this priority, ‘‘demonstrates a 

rationale’’ means a key project component included 

in the project’s logic model is informed by research 

or evaluation findings that suggest the project 

component is likely to improve relevant outcomes, 

as defined in 34 CFR 77.1. 

were taking part in Registered 

Apprenticeship Training. 

This competition will provide an 

opportunity and flexibility for a State 

VR agency, given additional funding 

and the full range of resources available 

through the VR program, to demonstrate 

the effectiveness of providing the career 

pathways services needed by VReligible individuals, including those 

participating in the VR program and 

those who are not receiving services in 

the VR program for reasons such as 

assignment to closed priority categories 

under an order of selection. This 

includes previously served VR 

participants in employment who reenter the VR program, to obtain, change 

careers to, advance in, or maximize 

employment in fields that provide a true 

living wage and freedom from public 

support. 

VR agencies, whether applying alone 

or in a consortium with multiple State 

VR agencies, must implement career 

advancement initiative model 

demonstration projects by establishing 

career pathway and work-based learning 

partnerships with employers, 

community colleges and postsecondary 

institutions, entities that make up the 

workforce development systems, 

entities that provide registered 

apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships 

and IRAPs, comprehensive 

rehabilitation centers, local or State 

educational agencies (LEAs or SEAs), 

and providers or other Federal or State 

agencies (i.e., State Apprenticeships 

Programs, Employment Networks under 

Social Security, Department of Labor, 

etc.), as appropriate to the career 

pathway or pathways chosen and the 

industries or types of professions 

served. The models must be 

implemented at multiple local sites to 

ensure replicability and delivered 

through a coordinated system. 

Assistance to individuals could 

include, as appropriate for the 

individual, pre-apprenticeship, 

registered apprenticeship and IRAP 

training or postsecondary training and 

graduate-level postsecondary education, 

registered apprenticeships in formal 

trades, other work-based learning 

experiences, community college and 

technical college education and 

training, or other appropriate training 

and education opportunities to achieve 

the advancement in employment 

specified as the individual’s vocational 

goal. 

In sum, this competition is designed 

to help VR-eligible individuals with 

disabilities, including previously served 

VR participants in employment who reenter the VR program, to advance in or 

change to high-demand, high-quality 

careers, such as STEM careers.1 This 

also includes individuals who enter 

career pathways in industry-driven 

sectors through pre-apprenticeships, 

registered apprenticeships and IRAPs; to 

improve and maximize CIE outcomes, 

economic self-sufficiency, 

independence, and inclusion in society; 

and to reduce reliance on public 

benefits (e.g., Supplemental Security 

Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability 

Insurance (SSDI)). 

Priority: 

This priority establishes model 

demonstration projects in which State 

vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, 

whether applying alone or in a 

consortium, by developing and using 

career pathways, will assist VR eligible 

individuals with disabilities, including 

previously served VR participants in 

employment who re-enter the VR 

program, to advance in their careers. 

Projects should help these individuals 

obtain promotional opportunities with a 

current employer or a different 

employer; obtain additional 

responsibility and compensation by 

advancing in a formal career or job 

series; obtain industry recognized 

credentials that result in additional 

responsibilities, compensation, and 

benefits; improve and maximize CIE 

outcomes, economic self-sufficiency, 

independence, and inclusion in society; 

and/or reduce reliance on public 

benefits (e.g., SSI, SSDI, and/or TANF, 

and State or local benefits). 

As used in this competition, career 

pathway means a combination of 

rigorous and high-quality education, 

training, and other services that— 

(a) Aligns with the skill needs of 

industries in the economy of the State 

or regional economy involved; 

(b) Prepares an individual to be 

successful in any of a full range of 

secondary or postsecondary education 

options, including apprenticeships 

registered under the Act of August 16, 

1937 (commonly known as the 

‘‘National Apprenticeship Act’’; 50 Stat. 

664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.); 

(c) Includes counseling to support an 

individual in achieving the individual’s 

education and career goals; 

(d) Includes, as appropriate, 

education offered concurrently with and 

in the same context as workforce 

preparation activities and training for a 

specific occupation or occupational 

cluster; 

(e) Organizes education, training, and 

other services to meet the particular 

needs of an individual in a manner that 

accelerates the educational and career 

advancement of the individual to the 

extent practicable; 

(f) Enables, as appropriate, an 

individual to attain a secondary school 

diploma or its recognized equivalent, 

and at least one recognized 

postsecondary credential; and 

(g) Helps an individual enter or 

advance within a specific occupation or 

occupational cluster (i.e., a group of 

occupations and broad industries based 

on common knowledge and skills, job 

requirements, or worker characteristics). 

Project Requirements: Under this 

priority, the model demonstration 

proposed by an applicant must, at a 

minimum— 

(a) Develop and implement a 

collaborative model that demonstrates a 

rationale 2 in the use of career pathways 

to enable VR eligible individuals with 

disabilities, including previously served 

VR participants in employment who reenter the VR program, to advance in 

their careers, such as obtaining 

promotional opportunities with a 

current employer or a different 

employer; obtaining additional 

responsibility and compensation by 

advancing in a formal career or job 

series; increasing the number of hours 

worked; and obtaining industry 

recognized credentials that result in 

additional responsibilities, 

compensation, and benefits; 

(1) The model project must involve 

providing access to existing career 

pathways, creating a new pathway, or 

both; 

(2) The model project must propose 

multiple partnerships and multiple 

pathways to serve different populations, 

provided that the applicant identify any 

separate personnel, activities, and 

budgets; 

(3) The model project must propose to 

serve diverse geographic regions, 

including urban, suburban, rural and 

Tribal communities, if applicable. 

(b) Establish partnerships between the 

VR agencies and appropriate employers, 

agencies, and entities that are critical to 

the development of the career pathway 

or pathways used in the model. These 

partnerships could include two-year 

and four-year institutions of higher 

education, American Job Centers, and 


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other workforce training providers, such 

as registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship providers, 

comprehensive support service 

providers, and on-the-job and 

customized training providers); 

(c) Include the following career 

pathway components: 

(1) Alignment of secondary and 

postsecondary education, training, and 

employment, such as skilled trades and 

STEM careers important to local, 

regional, or State economies; 

(2) Rigorous, sequential, connected, 

and efficient curricula that connect 

education and skills training courses 

and that integrate education with 

training, as appropriate; 

(3) Multiple entry and exit points for 

VR participants entering and exiting 

training; 

(4) Comprehensive, coordinated and 

personalized support services that are 

designed to ensure the individual’s 

success in completing education and 

training programs: 

(i) Financial literacy, benefits 

counseling, childcare, physical health 

and mental health services and 

transportation; 

(ii) Educational supports (e.g., tutors, 

on-campus supports such as writing 

labs, math labs, and disability services); 

(iii) Self-advocacy training (e.g., 

mentoring, peer relationships, 

understanding how to request services 

and supports); and 

(iv) Appropriate assistive technology 

services and devices; 

(5) Flexible design of education and 

training programs and services to meet 

the particular needs of VR participants, 

including flexible work schedules, 

alternative class times and locations, 

and the innovative use of technology; 

and 

(6) Education and training programs 

that focus on advancing in employment 

and are designed to develop the 

following knowledge and skills: 

(i) Comprehensive career 

development counseling and guidance, 

including self-exploration and career 

exploration and career planning and 

management; 

(ii) Career and technical skills leading 

to advancement in careers, including 

the skilled trades and STEM careers; 

and 

(iii) Soft skills (e.g., understanding, 

communication, teamwork, networking, 

problem solving, critical thinking and 

professionalism, learning styles, 

identifying strengths and weaknesses); 

(d) Collaborate with other federally 

funded career pathway initiatives 

conducting activities relevant to the 

work of its proposed project; and 

(e) Develop and conduct an 

evaluation of the project’s performance 

that documents the relationship 

between participants’ engagement with 

or use of specific practices and 

strategies implemented by the project 

and key outcomes. 

Application Requirements: Under this 

priority, to be considered for funding, 

an application must include the 

following: 

(a) A detailed review of the literature 

that supports the potential effectiveness 

of the proposed model, its components, 

and processes to improve career 

advancement for individuals with 

disabilities; 

(b) A logic model that communicates 

how the demonstration project will 

achieve its outcomes and provides a 

framework for project evaluation. The 

logic model must: 

(1) Depict, at a minimum, the goals, 

activities, outputs, and outcomes of the 

proposed model demonstration project; 

and 

(2) Demonstrate how the specific 

career pathways components developed 

and implemented in the project are 

thought to affect project outcomes. 

Project activities that demonstrate a 

rationale and are depicted in the logic 

model must be specifically noted; 

(c) A description of the applicant’s 

plan, methods, and criteria for 

implementing the project, including a 

description of— 

(1) A cohesive, articulated model of 

partnership and coordination among the 

participating agencies and 

organizations; 

(2) The coordinated set of practices 

and strategies in the use and 

development of career pathways that are 

aligned with employment, training, and 

education programs and reflect the 

needs of employers and VR-eligible 

individuals, including previously 

served VR participants in employment 

who re-enter the VR program to advance 

in their careers; 

(3) The model demonstration project’s 

proposed sites and targeted 

occupational clusters, and the proposed 

criteria for selecting such sites and 

occupational clusters. State VR agencies 

applying as a group must also identify 

the shared geographic area and describe 

how they will coordinate their project 

activities, including the data collection 

and evaluation, within the shared area; 

(4) How the proposed project will— 

(i) Provide access to existing career 

pathways, create new pathways, or both, 

incorporating the six required career 

pathway components: Secondary and 

postsecondary education and training 

aligned with targeted industry sector 

needs; rigorous, sequential, connected 

and efficient curricula; multiple entry 

and exit points; comprehensive support 

services; flexible design of education, 

training, work settings and assistive 

technology; and focus on the attainment 

of secondary education, recognized 

postsecondary credentials, sectorspecific employment, and related 

knowledge and skills in order to 

advance in employment; 

(ii) Identify local workforce needs, 

aligned with the skill needs of targeted 

industry sectors important to local, 

regional, or State economies; 

(iii) Involve employers in the project 

design and in partnering with project 

staff to develop integrated community 

settings for assessments, job shadowing, 

internships, apprenticeships, and other 

paid and unpaid work experiences that 

are designed to lead to career 

advancement competitive for 

individuals with disabilities; 

(iv) Provide technical assistance or 

other resources (e.g., trainings) for 

employers as needed on topics or 

strategies related to career advancement 

for VR eligible individuals with 

disabilities, including previously served 

VR participants in employment who reenter the VR program; 

(v) Collaborate with participating 

agencies and organizations, including 

career pathway partners; and 

(vi) Develop strategies and conduct 

outreach activities to identify VReligible individuals with disabilities, 

including previously served VR 

participants in employment who reenter the VR program, whom the career 

pathways approach could assist in 

changing careers or advancing their 

careers. Note: If a project proposes 

multiple career pathways, the plan must 

separately describe the strategies and 

outreach activities that will be used to 

identify VR-eligible individuals with 

disabilities, including previously served 

VR participants in employment who reenter the VR program; 

(d) A memorandum of understanding 

between the State VR agency and its 

proposed partners in developing and 

implementing the project. In the case of 

a consortium, the application must also 

include a signed agreement among the 

constituent State VR agencies that 

designates the agency legally authorized 

to submit the application on behalf of 

the group; binds each agency to every 

statement, assurance, and obligation in 

the application; and details the 

agencies’ assigned roles and 

responsibilities, in accordance with 34 

CFR 75.128 and 75.129; 

(e) A plan for evaluating the project’s 

performance, including documenting 

the relationship between program 

participation and the project’s goals and 

objectives: 


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Specifically, the evaluation plan must 

include a description of— 

(1) Project goals, measurable 

objectives, and operational definitions; 

(2) The data to be collected; 

(3) How the data will be analyzed; 

and 

(4) How the outcomes for individuals 

with disabilities served by the project 

compared with the outcomes of 

individuals with VR-eligible individuals 

with disabilities, including previously 

served VR participants, not receiving 

project services; 

(f) For each career pathway accessed 

or created through the project, the 

evaluation plan must provide the 

following information: 

(1) Description of the career pathway, 

including the respective occupational 

cluster(s) or career field(s), stackable 

credentials, and multiple entry/exit 

points; and 

(2) Collection of the following data, at 

minimum: 

(i) The relevant RSA–911 Case Service 

Report data for each project participant, 

including disability and other 

demographic data; 

(ii) The number of participants who 

entered the career pathway; 

(iii) The number of participants who 

completed training in the career 

pathway; 

(iv) The number of participants who 

attained one or more recognized 

postsecondary credential and the types 

of credentials attained; 

(v) The number of participants who 

achieved CIE through the project; 

(vi) The corresponding weekly wage 

and employer-provided medical benefits 

received by these participants before 

and after receiving services; 

(vii) The corresponding weekly hours 

worked by these participants before and 

after receiving services; 

(viii) The number of participants who 

receive a promotion or additional 

responsibilities resulting in an increase 

in salary; and; 

(ix) The number of participants who 

report public benefits (e.g., SSI, SSDI, 

and/or TANF, and State or local 

benefits) as their primary source of 

support at the time they exit in CIE; 

(g) A plan for systematic 

dissemination of project findings and 

knowledge gained that will assist State 

and local agencies in adapting or 

replicating the model career pathways 

developed and implemented by the 

project. This plan could include 

elements such as development of a 

website or community of practice, and 

participation in national and State 

conferences; 

(h) An assurance that, based on the 

informed choice of the VR participant, 

the employment goal for all individuals 

served under this project will be CIE, 

including customized or supported 

employment; 

(i) An assurance that the project will 

collaborate with other federally funded 

career pathway initiatives conducting 

activities relevant to its work; and 

(j) An assurance that the project will 

train employers, including businesses, 

to collaborate with VR on working with 

employees or trainees with disabilities. 

Within this absolute priority, we are 

particularly interested in applications 

that address the following invitational 

priority. 

Invitational Priority: Under 34 CFR 

75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 

application that meets this invitational 

priority a competitive or absolute 

preference over applications that do not 

meet the invitational priority. 

This priority is: 

Career pathway projects that focus on 

individuals with intellectual or 

developmental disabilities. 

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: 

Under the Administrative Procedure Act 

(5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally 

offers interested parties the opportunity 

to comment on proposed priorities. 

Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, 

allows the Secretary to exempt from 

rulemaking requirements regulations 

governing the first grant competition 

under a new or substantially revised 

program authority. This is the first grant 

competition for this program under the 

authority given in the Further 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, 

and, therefore, qualifies for this 

exception. To ensure timely grant 

awards, the Secretary has decided to 

forego public comment on the absolute 

priority under section 437(d)(1) of 

GEPA. This priority will apply to the FY 

21 grant competition and any 

subsequent year in which we make 

awards from the list of unfunded 

applications for this competition. 

Program Authority: Further 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 

(Pub. L. 116–94), 133 Stat. 2590–91. 

Note: Projects must be awarded and 

operated in a manner consistent with the 

nondiscrimination requirements contained in 

the U.S. Constitution and the Federal civil 

rights laws. 

Applicable Regulations: (a) The 

Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR 

parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 

and 99. (b) The Office of Management 

and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on 

Governmentwide Debarment and 

Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR 

part 180, as adopted and amended as 

regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 

part 3485. (c) The Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost 

Principles, and Audit Requirements for 

Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) in 

2 CFR part 200, as adopted and 

amended as regulations of the 

Department in 2 CFR part 3474. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Discretionary grants 

negotiated as cooperative agreements. 

Estimated Available Funds: 

$110,000,000. 

Contingent upon the availability of 

funds and the quality of applications, 

we may make additional awards in FY 

2022 from the list of unfunded 

applications from this competition. 

Estimated Range of Awards: 

$3,548,387.10 to $18,333,333.33 

(frontloaded for the 60-month project 

period). 

Maximum Award: We will not make 

an award exceeding $18, 333,333.33 for 

a single budget period of 60 months. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 6 (if all 

awards are made at the estimated 

maximum amount) to 31 (if all awards 

are made at the estimated minimum 

amount). 

Note: The Department is not bound by any 

estimates in this notice. 

Project Period: Up to 60 months. 

Note: The Final Performance Report must 

be completed and submitted by the end of 

the project period, September 30, 2026. 

Therefore, all project activities (other than 

work on the evaluation and final 

performance report) must conclude earlier 

than 60 months to allow time for the 

evaluation and final performance report to be 

completed and submitted by the end of the 

project period of September 30, 2026. 

Note: Applicants under this competition 

are required to provide detailed budget 

information for each of the five years of this 

project and for the total grant. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: State VR 

agencies or State VR agencies applying 

as a consortium under 34 CFR 75.128. 

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This 

competition does not require cost 

sharing or matching. 

b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This 

program uses an unrestricted indirect 

cost rate. For more information 

regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a 

negotiated indirect cost rate, please see 

www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/ 

intro.html. 

c. Administrative Cost Limitation: 

This program does not include any 

program-specific limitation on 

administrative expenses. All 

administrative expenses must be 

reasonable and necessary and conform 


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to the Cost Principles described in 2 

CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 

Guidance. 

3. Subgrantees: Under the Further 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, 

a grantee under this competition may 

award subgrants for a portion of the 

funds to other public and private, 

nonprofit entities to directly carry out 

project activities described in the 

grantee’s application. Under 34 CFR 

75.708(e), a grantee may contract for 

supplies, equipment, and other services 

in accordance with 2 CFR part 200. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Application Submission 

Instructions: Applicants are required to 

follow the Common Instructions for 

Applicants to Department of Education 

Discretionary Grant Programs, 

published in the Federal Register on 

February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and 

available at www.govinfo.gov/content/ 

pkg/FR–2019–02–13/pdf/2019– 

02206.pdf, which contain requirements 

and information on how to submit an 

application. 

2. Submission of Proprietary 

Information: Given the types of projects 

that may be proposed in applications for 

the Disability Innovation Fund, your 

application may include business 

information that you consider 

proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define 

‘‘business information’’ and describe the 

process we use in determining whether 

any of that information is proprietary 

and, thus, protected from disclosure 

under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of 

Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as 

amended). 

Because we plan to make successful 

applications available to the public, you 

may wish to request confidentiality of 

business information. 

Consistent with Executive Order 

12600, please designate in your 

application any information that you 

believe is exempt from disclosure under 

Exemption 4. In the appropriate 

Appendix section of your application, 

under ‘‘Other Attachments Form,’’ 

please list the page number or numbers 

on which we can find this information. 

For additional information please see 34 

CFR 5.11(c). 

3. Intergovernmental Review: This 

competition is subject to Executive 

Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 

CFR part 79. Information about 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs under Executive Order 12372 

is in the application package for this 

competition. 

4. Funding Restrictions: We reference 

regulations outlining funding 

restrictions in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

5. Recommended Page Limit: The 

application narrative is where you, the 

applicant, address the selection criteria 

that reviewers use to evaluate your 

application. We recommend that you (1) 

limit the application narrative to no 

more than 45 pages and (2) use the 

following standards: 

• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5′′ x 11′′, on one side 

only, with 1’’ margins at the top, 

bottom, and both sides. 

• Double space (no more than three 

lines per vertical inch) all text in the 

application narrative, including titles, 

headings, footnotes, quotations, 

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). 

• Use one of the following fonts: 

Times New Roman, Courier, Courier 

New, or Arial. 

The recommended page limit does not 

apply to the cover sheet; the budget 

section, including the narrative budget 

justification; the assurances and 

certifications; or the one-page abstract, 

the resumes, the bibliography, or the 

letters of support. However, the 

recommended page limit does apply to 

all of the application narrative. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection 

criteria for this competition are from 34 

CFR 75.210 and are as follows: 

(a) Need for project and significance 

of the project (10 points) 

(1) The Secretary considers the need 

for the proposed project and the 

significance of the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the need for the 

proposed project and the significance of 

the proposed project, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The national significance of the 

proposed project. 

(ii) The magnitude of the need for the 

services to be provided or the activities 

to be carried out by the proposed 

project. 

(iii) The extent to which the proposed 

project is likely to build local capacity 

to provide, improve, or expand services 

that address the needs of target 

population. 

(b) Quality of the project design (20 

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 

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 reflects up-to-date 

knowledge from research and effective 

practice. 

(iii) The extent to which the results of 

the proposed project are to be 

disseminated in ways that will enable 

others to use the information or 

strategies. 

(iv) The extent to which the proposed 

project represents an exceptional 

approach to the priority or priorities 

established for the competition. 

(v) The extent to which performance 

feedback and continuous improvement 

are integral to the design of the 

proposed project. 

(c) Quality of project services (20 

points) 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the services to be provided by 

the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of 

services to be provided by the proposed 

project, the Secretary considers the 

quality and sufficiency of strategies for 

ensuring equal access and treatment for 

eligible project participants who are 

members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented 

based on race, color, national origin, 

gender, age, or disability. 

(3) In addition, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The extent to which the services to 

be provided by the proposed project 

involve the collaboration of appropriate 

partners for maximizing the 

effectiveness of project services. 

(ii) The extent to which the services 

to be provided by the proposed project 

are appropriate to the needs of the 

intended recipients or beneficiaries of 

those services. 

(iii) The likely impact of the services 

to be provided by the proposed project 

on the intended recipients of those 

services. 

(iv) The likelihood that the services to 

be provided by the proposed project 

will lead to improvements in skills 

necessary to gain employment or build 

capacity for independent living. 

(d) Quality of the project evaluation 

(20 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. 


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(ii) 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. 

(iii) The extent to which the 

evaluation will provide performance 

feedback and permit periodic 

assessment of progress toward achieving 

intended outcomes. 

(iv) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation will, if well implemented, 

produce promising evidence (as defined 

in 34 CFR 77.1(c)) about the project’s 

effectiveness. 

(e) Quality of project personnel (15 

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, 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 the 

project director or principal 

investigator. 

(ii) The qualifications, including 

relevant training and experience, of key 

project personnel. 

(iii) The extent to which time 

commitments of the project director and 

other key personnel are appropriate and 

adequate to meet the objectives of the 

proposed project. 

(f) Adequacy of resources (15 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 relevance and demonstrated 

commitment of each partner in the 

proposed project to the implementation 

and success of the project. 

(ii) The extent to which the costs are 

reasonable in relation to the number of 

persons to be served and to the 

anticipated results and benefits. 

(iii) The potential for the 

incorporation of project purposes, 

activities, or benefits into the ongoing 

program of the agency or organization at 

the end of the Federal funding. 

(iv) The adequacy of support, 

including facilities, equipment, 

supplies, and other resources, from the 

applicant organization or the lead 

applicant organization. 

2. Review and Selection Process: We 

remind potential applicants that in 

reviewing applications in any 

discretionary grant competition, the 

Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 

75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the 

applicant in carrying out a previous 

award, such as the applicant’s use of 

funds, achievement of project 

objectives, and compliance with grant 

conditions. The Secretary may also 

consider whether the applicant failed to 

submit a timely performance report or 

submitted a report of unacceptable 

quality. 

In addition, in making a competitive 

grant award, the Secretary requires 

various assurances, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department (34 CFR 

100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

3. Risk Assessment and Specific 

Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 

200.205, before awarding grants under 

this competition the Department 

conducts a review of the risks posed by 

applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the 

Secretary may impose specific 

conditions and, in appropriate 

circumstances, high-risk conditions on a 

grant if the applicant or grantee is not 

financially stable; has a history of 

unsatisfactory performance; has a 

financial or other management system 

that does not meet the standards in 2 

CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 

fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; 

or is otherwise not responsible. 

4. Integrity and Performance System: 

If you are selected under this 

competition to receive an award that 

over the course of the project period 

may exceed the simplified acquisition 

threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 

CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a 

judgment about your integrity, business 

ethics, and record of performance under 

Federal awards—that is, the risk posed 

by you as an applicant—before we make 

an award. In doing so, we must consider 

any information about you that is in the 

integrity and performance system 

(currently referred to as the Federal 

Awardee Performance and Integrity 

Information System (FAPIIS)), 

accessible through the System for 

Award Management. You may review 

and comment on any information about 

yourself that a Federal agency 

previously entered and that is currently 

in FAPIIS. 

Please note that, if the total value of 

your currently active grants, cooperative 

agreements, and procurement contracts 

from the Federal Government exceeds 

$10,000,000, the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, 

require you to report certain integrity 

information to FAPIIS semiannually. 

Please review the requirements in 2 CFR 

part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant 

plus all the other Federal funds you 

receive exceed $10,000,000. 

5. In General: In accordance with the 

Office of Management and Budget’s 

guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all 

applicable Federal laws, and relevant 

Executive guidance, the Department 

will review and consider applications 

for funding pursuant to this notice 

inviting applications in accordance 

with— 

(a) Selecting recipients most likely to 

be successful in delivering results based 

on the program objectives through an 

objective process of evaluating Federal 

award applications (2 CFR 200.205); 

(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain 

telecommunication and video 

surveillance services or equipment in 

alignment with section 889 of the 

National Defense Authorization Act of 

2019 (Pub. L. 115—232) (2 CFR 

200.216); 

(c) Promoting the freedom of speech 

and religious liberty in alignment with 

Promoting Free Speech and Religious 

Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free 

Inquiry, Transparency, and 

Accountability at Colleges and 

Universities (E.O. 13864) (2 CFR 

200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 

200.341); 

(d) Providing a preference, to the 

extent permitted by law, to maximize 

use of goods, products, and materials 

produced in the United States (2 CFR 

200.322); and 

(e) Terminating agreements in whole 

or in part to the greatest extent 

authorized by law if an award no longer 

effectuates the program goals or agency 

priorities (2 CFR 200.340). 

VI. Award Administration Information 

1. Award Notices: If your application 

is successful, we notify your U.S. 

Representative and U.S. Senators and 

send you a Grant Award Notification 

(GAN); or we may send you an email 

containing a link to access an electronic 

version of your GAN. We may notify 

you informally, also. 

If your application is not evaluated or 

not selected for funding, we notify you. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: We identify 

administrative and national policy 

requirements in the application package 

and reference these and other 

requirements in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

We reference the regulations outlining 

the terms and conditions of an award in 


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the Applicable Regulations section of 

this notice and include these and other 

specific conditions in the GAN. The 

GAN also incorporates your approved 

application as part of your binding 

commitments under the grant. 

3. Open Licensing Requirements: 

Unless an exception applies, if you are 

awarded a grant under this competition, 

you will be required to openly license 

to the public grant deliverables created 

in whole, or in part, with Department 

grant funds. When the deliverable 

consists of modifications to pre-existing 

works, the license extends only to those 

modifications that can be separately 

identified and only to the extent that 

open licensing is permitted under the 

terms of any licenses or other legal 

restrictions on the use of pre-existing 

works. Additionally, a grantee or 

subgrantee that is awarded competitive 

grant funds must have a plan to 

disseminate these public grant 

deliverables. This dissemination plan 

can be developed and submitted after 

your application has been reviewed and 

selected for funding. For additional 

information on the open licensing 

requirements please refer to 2 CFR 

3474.20. 

4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a 

grant under this competition, you must 

ensure that you have in place the 

necessary processes and systems to 

comply with the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive 

funding under the competition. This 

does not apply if you have an exception 

under 2 CFR 170.110(b). 

(b) At the end of your project period, 

you must submit a final performance 

report, including financial information, 

as directed by the Secretary. If you 

receive a multiyear award, you must 

submit semiannual and annual 

performance reports that provide the 

most current performance and financial 

expenditure information as directed by 

the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The 

Secretary may also require more 

frequent performance reports under 34 

CFR 75.720(c). For specific 

requirements on reporting, please go to 

www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/ 

appforms/appforms.html. 

(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the 

Secretary may provide a grantee with 

additional funding for data collection 

and reporting. In this case, the Secretary 

establishes a data collection period. 

5. Performance Measures: The 

Government Performance and Results 

Act of 1993 (GPRA) directs Federal 

departments and agencies to improve 

the effectiveness of their programs by 

engaging in strategic planning, setting 

outcome-related goals for programs, and 

measuring program results against those 

goals. 

For the purposes of GPRA and 

Department reporting under 34 CFR 

75.110, we have established the 

following performance measures for this 

program: 

(a) Of the individuals participating in 

the project, their average hourly wage at 

the time they exit in CIE. 

(b) Of the individuals participating in 

the project, their average hours worked 

per week at the time they exit in CIE. 

(c) Of the individuals participating in 

the project, the number and percentage 

who exit in CIE with employer-provided 

medical benefits. 

(d) Of the individuals participating in 

the project, the number and percentage 

who report their income as the primary 

source of support at the time they exit 

in CIE. 

(e) Of the individuals participating in 

the project, the number and percentage 

who report public benefits (e.g., SSI, 

SSDI, and/or TANF, and State or local 

benefits) as their primary source of 

support at the time they exit in CIE. 

6. Continuation Awards: In making a 

continuation award under 34 CFR 

75.253, the Secretary considers, among 

other things: Whether a grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the goals and objectives of the project; 

whether the grantee has expended funds 

in a manner that is consistent with its 

approved application and budget; and, 

if the Secretary has established 

performance measurement 

requirements, the performance targets in 

the grantee’s approved application. 

In making a continuation award, the 

Secretary also considers whether the 

grantee is operating in compliance with 

the assurances in its approved 

application, including those applicable 

to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance 

from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

VII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: 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 compact disc) on 

request to the program contact person 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. The Department will provide 

the requestor with an accessible format 

that may include Rich Text Format 

(RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, 

an MP3 file, braille, large print, 

audiotape, or compact disc, or other 

accessible format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. You may access the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations at 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can 

view this document, as well as all other 

documents of this Department 

published in the Federal Register, in 

text or Portable Document Format 

(PDF). To use PDF you must have 

Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 

available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at: www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

Mark Schultz, 

Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services 

Administration, Delegated the authority to 

perform the functions and duties of the 

Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special 

Education and Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00149 Filed 1–5–21; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

[Docket ID ED–2020–FSA–0151] 

Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program 

AGENCY: Federal Student Aid, 

Department of Education. 

ACTION: Notice of a new matching 

program. 

SUMMARY: This provides notice of the reestablishment of the matching program 

between the U.S. Department of 

Education (Department) and the Social 

Security Administration (SSA), which 

sets forth the terms, safeguards, and 

procedures under which the SSA will 

disclose to the Department data related 

to the Medical Improvement Not 

Expected (MINE) disability data of 

beneficiaries and recipients under title 

II and title XVI of the Social Security 

Act from the SSA system of records 

entitled the Disability Control File 

(DCF) and the Master Beneficiary 

Record (MBR). This matching program 

will enable the Department to contact 

the individuals who have a balance on 

a loan under title IV of the Higher 

Education Act of 1965, as amended 

(HEA), have a title IV loan written off 

due to default, or have an outstanding 

service obligation under the Teacher 

Education Assistance for College and 

Higher Education (TEACH) Grant 

Program to inform those borrowers and 

TEACH Grant recipients of the total and 

permanent disability (TPD) process. 

Once informed, those borrowers who 


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