MODEL COMPREHENSIVE TRANSITION AND POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

(TPSID PROGRAM) Peer Reviewer Orientation 2010

Program  Overview

The TPSID Program awards grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or  consortia of (IHEs) to

enable them to create or expand high quality, inclusive model comprehensive transition and

postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities.

TPSID Program  

Program Authorization

Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended (HEA) 20 U.S.C. 1140G

TPSID Program

Program Regulations

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)

In 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84,85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

TPSID Program

Grant Project Period

(5) Five Years

TPSID Program

2010 Program Estimates

Estimated Range of Awards:

$100,000‐$500,000 per year

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$422,532 per year

Estimated Number of New Awards:
25

*The U.S. Department of Education is not

bound by these estimates.

TPSID Program

2010 Program Estimates

Applications to be Evaluated:

40

Amount Available for New Awards:

$10,563,300

Estimated Award Date:

October 1, 2010

*The U.S. Department of Education is not bound by these estimates.

TPSID Program

Application Submission Requirements

Requirements concerning the content and format of applications under the TPSID  

program, together with the forms that must be submitted, are in the application package.

TPSID Program

Application Page Limitation

Applicants must limit the application narrative, Part III, to no more than 40 pages, using the standards

outlined in the TPSID application.

TPSID Program

Eligible Applicants

*Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)

*Consortia of IHEs
TPSID Program

Eligible Applicants

All applicants must meet the definition of Institution of Higher Education (IHE), as it is defined in the

TPSID application package. Non‐profit, private, degree conferring institutions are allowed to be a part of

the consortium of IHEs (This includes two‐year colleges and community colleges).

TPSID Program

Eligible Applicants

All grant recipients must partner with one or more local educational agency (LEA) to support students

with intellectual disabilities, who are still eligible for special education and related services under the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).   

TPSID Program

Eligible Applicants

Local Educational Agency (LEA)

Applicants must clearly describe the contributions of LEA partners to the project.  Additionally, although

for the duration of the project, the IHE to whom TPSID funds are obligated will remain the fiscal agent

for the project, applicants must describe the fiscal contribution that LEA partners will make in each

budget year.

TPSID Program

Eligible Applicants

Consortia of IHEs

Proposed consortia IHE members must meet the same definition of an IHE as indicated in the TPSID

application package.  Applicants must clearly describe the contributions of IHE consortia members to the

project.

TPSID Program

Budget Request Limitation

Applicants requesting a budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months, will be

rejected.
TPSID Program

Allowed uses of grant funds

Grant recipients must use grant funds to establish a model comprehensive transition and postsecondary

program for students with intellectual disabilities that:

  

1) Serves students with intellectual disabilities;  

2) Provides individual supports and services for the academic and social inclusion of students with

intellectual disabilities in academic courses, extracurricular activities, and other aspects of the

IHE’s regular postsecondary program;  

3) Provides a focus on academic enrichment, socialization, independent living skills, including   

self‐advocacy, and integrated work experiences and career skills that lead to gainful

employment;  

4) Integrates person‐centered planning in the development of the course of study for each student

with an intellectual disability participating in the model program  

5) Participates with the coordinating center established under section 777(b) of the HEA in the

evaluation of the components of the model program and budgets $4,000 annually for evaluation

expenses incurred by the coordinating center including data collection, storage, analyses, and

reporting;  

The coordinating center will provide technical assistance to IHEs that offer comprehensive

transition and postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities, and will work

with these programs to evaluate program components and recommend standards for such

programs.  

6)   Engages in regular meetings or conference calls sponsored by the coordinating center and, on

an annual basis, and in consultation with the Federal Project Officer,  

contributes $500 annually and must ensure that they have allocated one project personnel to

support conference planning 5% of the time.

(7)   Partners with one or more local educational agencies to support students with intellectual

disabilities participating in the model program who are still eligible for special education and

related services under the IDEA;  

(8) Plans for the sustainability of the model program after the end of the grant period; and  

(9) Creates and offers a meaningful credential for students with intellectual disabilities upon the

        completion of the model program.   
TPSID Program Competitive Priorities

The TPSID program has three competitive priorities. They are as follows:

Competitive Priority #1

Priority to applicants that form a sustained and meaningful partnership with any relevant agency  

serving students with intellectual disabilities, such as a vocational rehabilitation agency.

Competitive Priority #2

Priority to institutions of higher education that provide institutionally owned or operated housing

for students attending the institution that integrate students with intellectual disabilities into the

housing offered to all students.

Competitive Priority #3

Priority to applicants that involve students attending the institution of higher education who are

studying special education, general education, vocational rehabilitation, assistive technology, or

related fields in the model program.

Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c )(2 ) (i ), applicants responding to one or more of the previously mentioned

priorities will receive up to an additional nine points (up to three points for each priority addressed)

depending upon how well the application meets the priorities. The description of all or some of the

priorities is not to exceed one page.

TPSID Program Selection Criteria

Please note that the selection criteria are different from the selection criteria given under the FY ’08  

Demonstration Program. Please be sure to review the TPSID program selection criteria carefully  

before addressing them.

TPSID Program Selection Criteria

Selection Criteria

Need for Project       (10)

Significance       (15)

Quality of Project Design     (20)

Quality of Project Services     (15)

Quality of Project Personnel   (10)

Adequacy of Resources     (15)

Quality of Project Evaluation   (15)

______________________________

Total         100 points  
Applicants must indicate in the selection criteria how they will establish a model comprehensive

transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities that meets all of

the following requirements:

*Serves students with intellectual disabilities;  

*Provides individual supports and services for the academic and social inclusion of students with  

  intellectual disabilities in academic courses, extracurricular activities, and other aspects of the IHE’s  

  regular postsecondary program;  

*Provides a focus on academic enrichment, socialization, independent living skills, including self

  advocacy, and integrated work experiences and career skills that lead to gainful employment;  

*Integrates person‐centered planning in the development of the course of study for each student   

   with an intellectual disability participating in the model program;

* Participates with the coordinating center established under section 777(b) of the HEA in the

   evaluation of the components of the model program and budgets $4,000 annually for evaluation  

   expenses incurred by the coordinating center including data collection, storage, analyses, and       

  reporting;

*Engages in regular meetings or conference calls sponsored by the coordinating center and, on an   

  annual basis, and in consultation with the Federal Project Officer, contributes $500 annually and

  must ensure that they have allocated one project personnel to support conference planning 5% o  

  of the time;

*Partners with one or more local educational agencies to support students with intellectual  

  disabilities participating in the model program who are still eligible for special education and    

  related services under the IDEA;  

*Plans for the sustainability of the model program after the end of the grant period; and  

*Creates and offers a meaningful credential for students with intellectual disabilities upon the

completion of the model program.   

   

Included in the TPSID application package are the selection criteria that will be used by peer   

reviewers to evaluate the applications. The selection criteria were extracted from EDGAR 34 CFRpart

75 sections 75.210.

You may access EDGAR electronically by going to the following link:  
http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html  

TPSID Program

Matching Requirement

In the FY 2010 competition, an institution or consortia must provide, from non‐federal funds, a  

matching contribution equal to at least 25 percent of cost of the project.  An applicant will not

receive additional points for exceeding the 25 percent match, and will be expected to sustain the  

match, regardless of whether the match exceeds the 25 percent requirement throughout the grant  

performance period.  The matching requirement may not be met with federal funds.

Although matching funds can come from a variety of sources, including consortia members, the IHE  

to whom these funds are obligated, will remain the fiscal agent during the project performance  

period and therefore, will be responsible for the managing, documenting, and reporting activities  

associated with these matching funds.  Applicants are encouraged to consider the administrative  

costs associated with maintaining, documenting, and reporting activities associated with matching

funds.

Matching Requirement

Consortia of IHEs.

Consortia members can contribute to the matching funds requirement in this priority, however, the  

IHE to whom funds are obligated will remain the primary fiscal agent responsible for maintaining,  

documenting, and reporting activities associated with matching funds.  

For the duration of the project, the IHE to whom TPSID funds are obligated will remain the fiscal  

agent for the project, applicants must describe the fiscal contribution that consortia members will  

make in each budget year.   

TPSID Program

Budget/Budget Narrative

Budgets are reviewed objectively. Funds should correspond with the activities outlined in the  

application.  Applicants are asked to describe their proposed multi‐year project activities and  

present a multiyear budget.  34 CFR 75.112 (b) requires applicants to present “a narrative that  

describes how and when, in each budget period of the project, the applicant plans to meet each  

objective of the project.”  

When addressing the budget section, applicants were asked to utilize the 524 instructions that were  

included in the TPSID application package.  Applicants must submit Form SF 524 that includes  

budget information for each project year of the five‐year performance period.  
TPSID Program

Indirect Cost Rates

The indirect cost rate for TPSID awards is limited to eight percent or the applicant’s negotiated rate,  

whichever is lower. Those applicants not interested in claiming indirect costs, and who do not  

include proof of a current indirect cost rate agreement, will still be reviewed. Points should not be

deducted if an applicant does not have a current indirect cost rate agreement included in their

application package.

TPSID Program

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 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.  The goal  

of the TPSID program is to promote the successful transition of students with intellectual disabilities  

into higher education.  

Grantees will be required to submit annual performance reports to the Secretary and will be  

required to participate in evaluation activities conducted by the coordinating center authorized  

under section 777(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.   

TPSID Program

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

Evaluation activities as they relate to the TPSID Program Coordinating Center. As part of these  

reports and evaluation activities, it is expected that grantees will work closely with the coordination  

center funded under sec. 777(b) to develop performance measures most closely aligned with this  

work.  

It is anticipated that grantees will be asked to provide:

(1) a description of the population of students targeted to receive assistance under this grant;  

(2) evidence of academic and social inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in academic  

courses,  extracurricular activities, and other aspects of the IHE’s  regular postsecondary program;  

(3) a description of how the model program addresses  individualized student needs and  

improvement through person‐centered planning, academic enrichment,  socialization, independent  

living skills, and integrated work experiences and career skills;  
(4) a description of how the program leads to gainful employment and data systems used to track  

student  outcomes;  

(5) A description of how the model program’s  partnership with one or more LEAs supports    

students with intellectual disabilities participating in the model program who are still eligible for  

funds under the IDEA;  

(6) Plans for program sustainability beyond the grant period;  

(7) A detailed description of the meaningful credential offered to students with intellectual

disabilities;  

(8) data regarding the change in enrollment of students with intellectual disabilities

at the IHE;

  

(9) Data regarding persistence and completion regarding students with intellectual disabilities;

(10) a detailed description of measureable goals for the individual project, planned methods of  

achieving those goals, and progress towards meeting the goals; and  

(11) if applicable, a description of how the grantee continues to address the competitive preference  

priorities described in this notice related to sustained and meaningful partnerships with relevant  

agencies, the participation of students with intellectual disabilities in institutionally owned or  

operated housing, and the involvement of students attending the IHE who are studying special  

education, general education, vocational rehabilitation, assistive technology, or related fields in the  

model program.

Applicants were to include baseline data and benchmarks to monitor progress toward meeting  

specific project objectives based on  this program’s performance indicators.

In the application, applicants were also asked to include:

*The types of data that would be collected;

*When various types of data would be collected;

*What methods would be used;

*What instruments would be developed and when;  

*How the data would be analyzed;  

*When reports and outcomes would be available  

*How they would use the information collected through their project evaluation to monitor the  

progress of their funded grant;
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TPSID Program

Contact Information

For TPSID Program

related inquiries:

Shedita Alston

Shedita.Alston@ed.gov

202‐502‐7808