[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 83 (Friday, April 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25156-25170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10610]



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Part VI





Department of Education





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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant 
Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals With 
Disabilities Education Act; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 83 / Friday, April 28, 2000 / 
Notices

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant 
Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals With 
Disabilities Education Act

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 
(FY) 2000.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides closing dates and other information 
regarding the transmittal of applications for FY 2000 competitions 
under five programs authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (IDEA), as amended. The five programs are: (1) Special 
Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for 
Children with Disabilities (one priority); (2) Special Education--
Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities (four priorities); (3) Special Education--Technology and 
Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities (two priorities); (4) 
Special Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children 
with Disabilities (one priority); and (5) Special Education--Studies 
and Evaluations Program (one priority).
    This notice supports the National Education Goals by helping to 
improve results for children with disabilities.

Waiver of Rulemaking

    In most instances the Assistant Secretary is required to offer 
interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. 
However, section 661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.

General Requirements

    (a) Projects funded under this notice must make positive efforts to 
employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with 
disabilities in project activities (see Section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must 
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with 
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects 
(see Section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
    (c) Projects funded under these priorities must budget for a two-
day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year of 
the project.
    (d) In a single application, an applicant must address only one 
absolute priority in this notice.
    (e) Part III of each application submitted under a priority in this 
notice, the application narrative, is where an applicant addresses the 
selection criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating the 
application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 
the number of pages listed in the ``Page Limits'' section under the 
applicable priority in this notice using the following standards:
    <bullet> A ``page'' is 8.5"  x  11" (on one side only) with one-
inch margins (top, bottom, and sides).
    <bullet> Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs.
    <bullet> If using a proportional computer font, use no smaller than 
a 12-point font, and an average character density no greater than 18 
characters per inch. If using a nonproportional font or a typewriter, 
do not use more than 12 characters 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 or references, or the letters of support. 
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
    We will reject your application if --
    <bullet> You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
    You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page 
limit.
    Information collection resulting from this notice has been 
submitted to OMB for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act and has 
been approved under control number 1820-0028, expiration date July 31, 
2000.

Research and Innovation To Improve Services and Results for 
Children With Disabilities [CFDA 84.324]

    Purpose of Program: To produce, and advance the use of, knowledge 
to: (1) Improve services provided under IDEA, including the practices 
of professionals and others involved in providing those services to 
children with disabilities; and (2) Improve educational and early 
intervention results for infants, toddlers, and children with 
disabilities.
    Eligible Applicants: For focus 2 eligible applicants are Local 
educational agencies (LEAs), or consortia of local educational 
agencies, and institutions of higher education (IHEs). For focus 2 
eligible applicants are LEAs or IHEs or consortia of LEAs and IHEs.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 
82, 85, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection criteria for the priorities 
under this program are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria 
menu. The specific selection criteria for this priority are included in 
the funding application packet for this competition.

Priority

    Under section 672 of the Act and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider 
only applications that meet the following priority:

Absolute Priority--Model Demonstration Projects for Children With 
Disabilities (84.324T)

    This priority supports model demonstration projects that develop, 
implement, evaluate, and disseminate new or improved approaches for 
providing special education and related services to children with 
disabilities. Projects supported under this priority are expected to be 
major contributors of models or components of models for service 
providers and for outreach projects funded under IDEA.
    Under this absolute priority, the Assistant Secretary will fund 
projects only in the focus areas listed below.

Requirements for All Demonstration Projects

    A model demonstration project must--
    (a) Use rigorous quantitative or qualitative research and 
evaluation methods and data and research-based strategies and 
practices;
    (b) Evaluate the model by using multiple measures of results to 
determine the effectiveness of the model and its components or 
strategies;
    (c) Produce detailed procedures and materials that would enable 
others to replicate the model; and
    (d) Communicate with appropriate audiences through means such as, 
special education technical assistance providers and disseminators, 
refereed journal publications and other publications, conference 
presentations, and a web site.
    If the project maintains a web site, it must include relevant 
information and documents in an accessible form.
    Federal financial participation for a project funded under this 
priority will not exceed 90 percent of the total annual costs of the 
project (see section 661(f)(2)(A) of IDEA).
    In addition to the annual two-day Project Directors' meeting in 
Washington, DC mentioned in the General Requirements section of this 
notice, projects must budget for another

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annual meeting in Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal 
project officer and the other projects funded under this priority, to 
share information and discuss model development, evaluation, and 
project implementation issues.

Focus 1--Model Demonstration Projects To Support Whole-School Reforms 
of Services for Children With Disabilities

    The reauthorization of IDEA in 1997 (Public Law 105-17) encouraged 
``incentives for whole-school approaches and pre-referral intervention 
to reduce the need to label children as disabled in order to address 
their learning needs'' (section 601(5)(F)) and authorized: (1) IDEA 
support for school-wide programs under Title I of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (section 613(a)(2)(D)); (2) Services 
and aids that also benefit nondisabled children (section 613(a)(4)(A)); 
(3) Integrated and coordinated service systems (section 613(a)(4)(B) 
and 613(f)); and (4) School-based improvement plans (section 613(g)).
    This priority supports model projects that demonstrate how 
promising and proven research based practices and strategies can be 
used to develop whole-school approaches that benefit all students, 
including students with disabilities, and fully implement all other 
requirements of the law. For example, it is essential that students 
with disabilities are provided with Individualized Education Plans 
(IEPs) that address their unique needs and provide for the services and 
supports, including intensive interventions when necessary, that will 
optimize their achievement. Applicants must demonstrate how they will 
improve results for students with disabilities.
    Specifically, applicants must describe activities to ensure that 
students with disabilities have access to and succeed in the regular 
curriculum; receive positive behavioral interventions, supports, and 
services when appropriate; and are included in State and local 
assessments.
    Flexibility and innovation are encouraged in the design of the 
models, but every model must involve regular and special education 
staff in early childhood and prevention services; provide for parent 
participation; and make available a continuum of services, aids, and 
supports to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the least 
restrictive environment. It is expected that models funded under this 
priority will build upon other models, strategies, and practices 
including those supported under IDEA national activities.
    Local educational agencies or consortia of LEAs or institutions of 
higher education are invited to apply for these grants to foster whole-
school projects at (a) primary and elementary school, (b) middle and 
junior high school, or (c) high school levels. Applicants are 
encouraged to address at least two of these grade ranges, unless only 
one grade range is served in the LEA. Regardless of who the project 
applicant is, a partnership between an LEA and IHE must be demonstrated 
and maintained throughout the duration of the project. Applicants are 
required to collaborate with existing OSEP technical assistance centers 
and evaluation efforts throughout the course of the project.

Project Periods and Associated Funding Levels

    Projects will be funded for up to 48 months. During the first two 
funding years, projects may request $150,000 per year. During the third 
and fourth years of funding, the projects may request up to $75,000 per 
year.
    The Assistant Secretary intends to make approximately 15 awards 
under this priority. Each of the three grade ranges will be represented 
in the awards with at least three awards at each level.

Special Requirements Under This Focus Area

    Applicants must specify at least one school building, at each grade 
range addressed in the project, that will participate in the model 
demonstration project throughout the duration of the grant. Further, 
the LEA or consortia of LEAs or IHEs must agree to share evaluation 
data (with protections for anonymity of subjects) on student 
achievement and project effectiveness with OSEP-sponsored activities, 
which will synthesize research and evaluation information across the 
grantees. In addition projects must ensure and demonstrate how they 
will monitor and document challenges and progress throughout the 
project.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $150,000 (exclusive of any matching 
funds) during the first two 12-month funding periods, or proposes a 
budget exceeding $75,000 (exclusive of any matching funds) during the 
final two 12-month funding periods. The Assistant Secretary for Special 
Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount 
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this focus area is 50 
double-spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Focus 2--K-3 Behavior and Reading Intervention Models

    Effective strategies that intervene early in a child's development 
are well recognized in improving results for children with 
disabilities. Unfortunately, approximately sixty percent of the 
children currently being served under IDEA are typically identified too 
late to receive full benefit from those interventions. This problem is 
most prominent with two specific populations of children--those 
identified for special education and related services under the 
categories ``emotional disturbance'' (ED) and ``specific learning 
disabilities'' (LD), particularly the 80 percent of LD children who 
have their primary deficit in reading. These children are often not 
identified as being eligible for special education and related services 
until after their disabilities have reached severe proportions. These 
are children who, very early in their education, experience marked 
difficulties learning to read or exhibit behaviors that lead to 
discipline problems as they get older.
    There currently exists a substantial and compelling body of 
research describing these children and telling us how to assess, 
identify, and help them. For instance, research indicates that both 
populations of children:
    (1) Can be assessed and identified early and with relative ease and 
accuracy; (2) based on the nature of their disabilities, are at high 
risk for dropping out of school, becoming discipline problems, and 
failing in school; (3) often fall behind because they do not receive 
appropriate interventions earlier; (4) can make tremendous gains when 
provided with effective services during early childhood; and (5) may 
need individually tailored interventions because one approach may not 
fit all children.
    A key feature of promising school-wide programs is their emphasis 
on the inclusion of all students in the school. Effective support for 
reading and behavior begins by attending to all students. Providing 
such support, in turn, requires understanding the range of reading 
difficulties and behavioral challenges students present to schools and 
a knowledge of the research-based strategies and practices for 
addressing those difficulties and challenges. To meet these varied 
needs, intervention systems are often organized into three groups, 
representing three levels of

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means to intervene with difficulties in reading and behavior problems:
    (a) Primary prevention involves universal instruction and 
intervention efforts to avert the onset of problem behaviors and 
reading deficits such as research-based school-wide reading and 
behavior programs.
    (b) Secondary prevention refers to strategies and procedures that 
address small groups of students who need additional support or 
assistance to successfully acquire new skills in reading and behavior.
    (c) Tertiary prevention involves more intense, specialized 
interventions, such as one on one interventions, for individual 
students who despite previous efforts experience chronic problem 
behavior or marked difficulties in learning to read.
    Although previous research and model demonstration projects have 
evaluated many aspects of the reading process and approaches to 
behavior management, model demonstration projects have not been 
implemented and sustained extensively in LEAs to systematically 
evaluate--
    (a) Professional development for regular and special education 
teachers related to intervening early with children with marked 
difficulties in reading and behavior;
    (b) A continuum of varied interventions for children with reading 
and behavior difficulties;
    (c) Scaffolding or support in all curriculum areas for children in 
K-3 with reading and behavior difficulties while providing support for 
specialized or intensive interventions in reading or behavior;
    (d) Continuous assessment to determine and predict progress; and
    (e) Simultaneous reading and behavior interventions to target the 
interdependence of the two.
    The purpose of this priority is to support demonstrations of 
school-based models of effective programs and practices to serve 
children grades K-3 who are identified as having a marked difficulty 
learning to read or who exhibit serious behaviors that lead to 
discipline problems as they get older.
    Projects funded under this priority must:
    (a) Identify students to participate who have a marked difficulty 
learning to read or who exhibit serious behaviors that lead to 
discipline problems later.
    (b) Provide evidence of an existing school-wide focus that includes 
setting and reaching high expectations in reading or behavior and that 
reflects proven research-based model practices in reading or behavior 
for all children--
    (1) For a school-wide focus on reading, projects must address, if 
applicable, support from Title I of the Improving America's Schools 
Act, the Reading Excellence Act, or other Federal or State programs by 
explicitly stating how those efforts will be coordinated with the 
activities and budgets of these projects for students with disabilities 
or developmental delays;
    (2) For a school-wide focus on behavior, projects must include or 
be working toward including the following components--
    (i) A mission or purpose statement;
    (ii) A list of positively stated behavioral expectations or rules;
    (iii) Procedures for directly teaching these expectations to 
students;
    (iv) A continuum of strategies for encouraging these expectations;
    (v) A continuum of strategies for discouraging rule violations; and
    (vi) Procedures for record keeping and evaluation; and
    (3) All projects must demonstrate a commitment of the faculty to 
address behavior or reading as a school-wide priority.
    (c) Demonstrate ongoing linkages, partnerships, and collaboration 
between local educational agencies (LEAs) and research and training 
programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the design, 
implementation and evaluation of the project.
    (d) Designate an implementation coordinator and establish a 
committee, including the principal in each school, to support the 
project.
    (e) Collaborate and link with OSEP supported researchers and 
technical assistance providers.
    (f) Describe how their evaluations will address the following--
    (1) Provide information about how children at highest risk are 
identified;
    (2) Monitor each child's progress on a frequent basis, including 
both formative and summative evaluations;
    (3) Establish criteria for a successful program; and
    (4) Cooperate with the other OSEP projects and OSEP evaluation 
efforts throughout the project period to determine core measures and 
instruments to use for assessment across projects, collect data on 
project challenges and progress throughout the project, and comply with 
established data collection procedures.
    (g) For reading projects--
    (1) Describe the social, environmental, and cultural 
characteristics of each child; and
    (2) Develop comprehensive case studies of each child to determine 
what is impacting risk, how they perform in other areas, how they 
performed in pre-school, characteristics related to reading (e.g., pre-
reading development; language, speech and articulation; primary and 
secondary language).
    (h) For behavior projects--
    (1) Describe the social, environmental and cultural characteristics 
of participating groups of children or individual children; and
    (2) Develop comprehensive case studies of participating groups of 
children or individual children to determine what is impacting risk, 
how they perform in other areas, how they performed in pre-school, and 
characteristics related to behavior.
    (i) Establish a school and family link related to reading or 
behavior.
    (j) Describe how an effective model will be sustained when the 
grant ends and describe how the LEA and IHEs will disseminate the model 
to other schools and LEAs.
    (k) Describe the relationship between the size of the schools where 
the project will be implemented, number of target students, and amount 
of money requested.
    Projects funded under this priority must schedule one trip, 
annually to Washington, DC (as specified in the ``General 
Requirements'' section of this notice), one trip, annually to 
Washington, DC (as specified in the ``Requirements for All 
Demonstration Projects'' section of this notice), and an additional 
meeting to take place by the end of the first month of the project.
    The Assistant Secretary intends to make up to 5 awards under 
reading, 5 awards under behavior, and 4 awards under reading and 
behavior for this focus area. At least one award in each area will be 
made in high poverty rural or inner city areas based on the submission 
of credible information by the applicant.
    Resource Packet: A resource packet providing information on 
research-based practices and strategies in reading and behavior is 
available to assist applicants in choosing research-based models and 
strategies to implement as part of their model programs. Applicants are 
encouraged to make use of this information. See the ERIC Clearinghouse 
web site at http://ericec.org/osep-sp.htm or call 800-328-0272 (phone/
TTY).
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $130,000 for one component or $180,000 
for two components (exclusive of any matching funds) for any single 
budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special 
Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum

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amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Project Period. Up to 48 months.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limits for this focus are 50 double-
spaced pages for one component (reading or behavior) and 80 double-
spaced pages for two components (reading and behavior).

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Competitive Preference

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For this competitive preference, applicants can be awarded up to a 
total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under the published 
selection criteria for this priority. That is, an applicant meeting 
this competitive preference could earn a maximum total of 110 points.

Special Education--Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and 
Results for Children With Disabilities [CFDA 84.325]

    Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help 
address State-identified needs for qualified personnel in special 
education, related services, early intervention, and regular education, 
to work with children with disabilities; and (2) to ensure that those 
personnel have the skills and knowledge, derived from practices that 
have been determined through research and experience to be successful, 
that are needed to serve those children.
    Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies; 
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; private 
nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; and 
Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection criteria for these 
priorities are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. 
The specific selection criteria for these priorities are included in 
the funding application packet for this competition.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

Priority

    Under section 673(d) of the Act and 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(3), we 
consider only those applications that meet the following priority:

Absolute Priority 1--Training Center in Early Intervention for Infants 
and Toddlers Who Have Visual Impairments, Including Blindness (84.325B)

    Services for infants and toddlers with visual impairments, 
including blindness, and their families are required under Part C of 
IDEA. Vision specialists and orientation and mobility instructors are 
key personnel in providing these services.
    Most training programs for vision specialists and orientation and 
mobility instructors focus on the development of professional skills 
and competencies needed to work with preschool and school-aged 
learners. A program of study specifically focused on the developmental, 
conceptual, etiological, and technological needs of infants and 
toddlers with visual impairments, including blindness, is needed to 
ensure that professionals have the skills and competencies to meet 
these unique needs and to assist and support families to enhance the 
development of their young children.
    The purpose of this priority is to support the development of a 
Center designed to assist training institutions in building their 
capacity to train early intervention professionals, particularly vision 
specialists and orientation and mobility instructors, to provide 
appropriate, effective services to infants and toddlers who have visual 
impairments, including blindness, and to their families.

Priority

    The Assistant Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support 
a training center to carry out a coordinated, integrated, and advanced 
project to develop, field-test, and disseminate empirically-based pre-
service training program modules for personnel in the area of early 
intervention for infants and toddlers with visual impairment, including 
blindness, and their families. The program modules must incorporate:
    (a) Relevant, research-based curricular content and pedagogical 
practices designed to meet the unique needs of infants and toddlers 
with visual impairments, including blindness, and their families in the 
following areas--
    (1) Screening and early identification;
    (2) Developmental assessment and evaluation;
    (3) Development as it relates to etiological aspects of visual 
impairments, including blindness;
    (4) Intervention practices;
    (5) Concept development; and
    (6) Knowledge and application of current technologies for use in 
enhancing growth and development.
    (b) Effective practices for working with families of infants and 
toddlers with visual impairments, including blindness, to enhance the 
development of their children including--
    (1) Partnering with families in Individualized Family Service Plan 
(IFSP) development;
    (2) Working and communicating with parents of children with visual 
impairments, including blindness, using effective strategies for 
teaching adults; and
    (3) Assisting and supporting families to identify their strengths, 
concerns, and priorities.
    The Center must--
    (a) Partner with Part C lead agencies; the medical community; 
parent training and information centers and community parent resource 
centers supported under Part D of IDEA; professional and advocacy 
organizations; IHEs, including Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities (HBCUs); and other agencies and organizations involved in 
providing services to infants and toddlers with visual impairments, 
including blindness, and their families, in developing and field 
testing its training program;
    (b) Provide training and research opportunities for a limited 
number of graduate students;
    (c) Meet with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 
project officer in the first three months of the project to review the 
proposed project activities;
    (d) Prepare and disseminate the products and training modules from 
the Center in formats that are useful for appropriate audiences;
    (e) Conduct research and development activities, using rigorous 
research methodologies; and
    (f) Provide information through a web site. Documents must be in an 
accessible form.
    Project Period: Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will 
make one award for a cooperative agreement with a project period of up 
to 60 months

[[Page 25160]]

subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation 
awards. During the second year of the project, the Assistant Secretary 
will determine whether to continue the Center for the fourth and fifth 
years of the project period and will consider in addition to the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a):
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts 
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team, 
including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed 
during the last half of the project's second year and may be included 
in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs 
associated with the services to be performed by the review team must 
also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are 
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The degree to which the project's design and technical 
strategies demonstrate the potential for disseminating significant new 
knowledge.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be 
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under 
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for any 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 70 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Absolute Priority 2--Training Center in Early Intervention for Infants 
and Toddlers Who Have Hearing Impairments, Including Deafness (84.325C)

Background

    Traditionally, university programs preparing personnel to work with 
hearing impaired children have trained professionals to work with the 
pre-school through high school population. Despite well-trained 
personnel in the classroom, academic achievement results for these 
students have been disappointing. These poor results have been 
attributed to the fact that, generally, the critical period for 
language development is from birth to three years of age. Yet, with 
hearing screening for newborns and infants becoming increasingly 
routine, hearing impairments are now being diagnosed with greater 
frequency during the first few months of life, rather than at age two 
or three, as had been the case previously. Moreover, recent advances in 
the technology of cochlear implants and digital hearing aids provide 
the potential for enhanced language development at a much earlier age.
    Thus, a program of study specifically focused on the developmental, 
communication, conceptual, medical, and technological needs of infants 
and toddlers with hearing impairments, including deafness, is essential 
to ensure that professionals are equipped with the skills and 
competencies to meet these unique needs and to assist and support 
families to enhance the development of their child.

Priority

    The Assistant Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support 
a training center to carry out a coordinated and integrated project 
that will develop, field-test, and disseminate empirically-based pre-
service training program modules for students in the area of early 
intervention for infants and toddlers with hearing impairments, 
including deafness, and their families.
    The model training modules must include--
    (a) Relevant, research-based curricular content and pedagogical 
practices designed to meet the unique needs of infants and toddlers 
with hearing impairments, including deafness, and their families in the 
following areas--
    (1) Developmental assessment and evaluation;
    (2) Medical aspects of hearing impairments as they relate to the 
developmental needs;
    (3) General growth and development of infants and toddlers;
    (4) Concept development;
    (5) The full range of communication approaches from oral and aural 
through American Sign Language (ASL); and
    (6) Knowledge and application of current technologies for use in 
enhancing the growth and development of the target population, 
including cochlear implants and digital hearing aid technology.
    (b) Effective practices for working with families of infants and 
toddlers with hearing impairments, including deafness, to enhance the 
development of their children including--
    (1) Partnering with families in Individualized Family Service Plan 
(IFSP) development;
    (2) Working and communicating with parents of children with hearing 
impairments including deafness using effective strategies for teaching 
adults; and
    (3) Assisting and supporting families to identify their strengths, 
concerns, and priorities.
    The Center must--
    (a) Partner with Part C lead agencies; the medical community; 
parent training and information centers and community parent resource 
centers supported under Part D of IDEA; professional and advocacy 
organizations; IHEs, including HBCUs; and other agencies and 
organizations involved in providing services to infants and toddlers 
with hearing impairments, including deafness, and their families, in 
developing and field testing its training program;
    (b) Provide training opportunities for a limited number of graduate 
students;
    (c) Meet with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 
project officer in the first three months of the project to review the 
proposed project activities;
    (d) Prepare and disseminate the products and training modules from 
the Center in formats that are useful for appropriate audiences;
    (e) Conduct research and development activities, using rigorous 
research methodologies; and
    (f) Provide information through a web site. Documents must be in an 
accessible form.
    Project Period: Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will 
make one award for a cooperative agreement with a project period of up 
to 60 months subject to the requirements of 34 CFR

[[Page 25161]]

75.253(a) for continuation awards. During the second year of the 
project, the Assistant Secretary will determine whether to continue the 
Center for the fourth and fifth years of the project period and will 
consider in addition to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a):
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts 
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team, 
including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed 
during the last half of the project's second year and may be included 
in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs 
associated with the services to be performed by the review team must 
also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are 
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The degree to which the project's design and technical 
strategies demonstrate the potential for disseminating significant new 
knowledge.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be 
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under 
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for any 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 70 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Absolute Priority 3--National IHE Faculty Enhancement Center To Improve 
Results for Children With Disabilities in Schools (84.325F)

    Children with disabilities are, in growing numbers, joining their 
nondisabled peers in schools and in classrooms to receive instruction 
in the general education curriculum with appropriate supports and 
services. The intent of the standards based reform movement is for all 
students to have access to and to enjoy meaningful participation and 
progress in curricular offerings that will enable them to achieve to 
high standards. As schools seek to ensure appropriate access to and 
participation of students with disabilities in the daily life of the 
regular school and in the general education curriculum within the 
standards based reform movement, many school administrative, general 
instructional, and support personnel are finding themselves ill-
prepared to effectively carry out their new and emerging roles and 
responsibilities. Unless a major initiative is mounted at the 
preservice training level, incoming personnel will continue to face 
these challenges ill-prepared.
    The purpose of this priority is to support a National Center to 
enhance the knowledge and skills of IHE faculty in school 
administration, regular education teacher training (including bilingual 
teacher training), school counseling, and school nursing, to improve 
the preservice training of personnel who share responsibility with 
special educators for providing effective services and ensuring 
improved results for children with disabilities in our schools. The 
Center must:
    (a) Identify needs. Identify knowledge and skill enhancement needs 
of IHE faculty in each of the targeted training programs (i.e., school 
administration; regular education teacher training; school counseling; 
and school nursing) that are most critical to ensuring that trainees in 
these programs are well prepared to carry out their respective roles 
and responsibilities in serving children with disabilities in school 
settings. This need identification process must be guided by a 
comprehensive review of the extant literature base and supplemented 
with methodologically sound investigative activities to enhance the 
current knowledge base where gaps are identified. Informants to this 
process should include recent program graduates and parents of children 
with disabilities.
    (b) Identify appropriate existing resources. Identify existing 
resources, including those that have been developed with IDEA 
discretionary grant or contract support, that represent state of the 
art, research-based knowledge and practice that address the critical 
needs identified in paragraph (a) and that can be appropriately 
integrated into training modules under paragraph (c). Products 
developed by the IDEA Partnerships Technical Assistance projects 
currently supported by OSEP must be reviewed and considered for 
incorporation into proposed training modules.
    (c) Develop training modules. Develop content-rich training modules 
that address the critical knowledge and skill enhancement needs 
identified in paragraph (a), that integrate existing resources 
identified in paragraph (b), and that are designed for ease of 
integration into existing curricular courses and experiential 
opportunities in the targeted IHE training programs. Modules must be 
structured to incorporate state of the art technology that will serve 
to enhance dissemination and use.
    (d) Disseminate training modules. Develop and implement mechanisms 
that will result in broad, effective dissemination and use of training 
modules developed in paragraph (c).
    (e) Conduct comprehensive evaluation. Design and conduct a 
comprehensive evaluation of the work, accomplishments, outcomes, 
impact, and effectiveness of the Center. This evaluation must be 
designed to provide information to guide necessary, ongoing, 
refinements to the structure, activities, workflow, and products that 
will improve the ultimate impact and effectiveness of the Center. This 
comprehensive evaluation must also be designed to measure the impact of 
this National Center on the primary goal of enhancing the knowledge and 
skills of IHE faculty in school administration, regular education 
teacher training, school counseling, and school nursing to improve the 
preservice training of personnel who share responsibility for providing 
effective services and ensuring improved results for children with 
disabilities in our public schools.
    In designing and carrying out the required activities of this 
National Center, the project must collaborate with individuals and 
groups of individuals such as deans, IHE faculty, practicing 
professionals in the targeted training fields and in special education, 
module design technology experts, dissemination and training entities, 
and

[[Page 25162]]

evaluation experts. Collaborators must include appropriate professional 
organizations and associations, federally supported technical 
assistance providers, and federally supported higher education 
projects, as appropriate.
    In addition to the annual two-day Project Directors' meeting in 
Washington, DC mentioned in the ``General Requirements'' section of 
this notice, projects must budget for two additional meetings in 
Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal project officer and the 
other projects funded under this priority, to share information and 
discuss model development, evaluation, and project implementation 
issues.
    Project Period: Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will 
make one award for a cooperative agreement with a project period of up 
to 60 months subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for 
continuation awards. During the second year of the project, the 
Assistant Secretary will determine whether to continue the Center for 
the fourth and fifth years of the project period and will consider in 
addition to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a):
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts 
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team, 
including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed 
during the last half of the project's second year and may be included 
in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs 
associated with the services to be performed by the review team must 
also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are 
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The degree to which the project's design and technical 
strategies demonstrate the potential for disseminating significant new 
knowledge.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be 
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under 
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not accept an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $850,000 for any 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 70 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Absolute Priority 4--Center To Inform Personnel Preparation Policy and 
Practice in Special Education (84.325Q)

    Ensuring that children with disabilities are served by an adequate 
number of highly qualified personnel is the cornerstone of successful 
implementation of the IDEA Amendments of 1997. Concerns regarding the 
current and future supply of quality service providers are at the 
forefront of the national dialogue. There is widespread agreement that 
ensuring an adequate supply of well-trained, highly qualified service 
providers into the next decade and beyond will demand informed, 
targeted, proactive efforts by policy makers at the National, State, 
and local levels. To be successful, these efforts must be guided by a 
knowledge base that is comprehensive, meaningful, and accessible. There 
is a critical need for a comprehensive, coordinated effort to 
accumulate the extant knowledge base and to address identified gaps in 
that knowledge base.
    Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will support a Center 
to inform personnel preparation policy and practice in special 
education by examining issues and recommending actions relevant to 
ensuring an adequate supply of well qualified personnel to serve 
children with disabilities. These personnel include, early 
interventionists, early childhood service providers, special education 
teachers, related service providers, regular education teachers, and 
paraprofessionals, as appropriate to specific priority requirements. 
The Center must:
    (a) Conduct a comprehensive review of the extant literature base in 
the following areas:
    (1) Licensure and certification standards and requirements for 
personnel serving children with disabilities. This review must include, 
at a minimum, available information, across all States and for each 
type of personnel, on:
    (i) Current licensure and certification standards and requirements 
including alternative certification options;
    (ii) Motivations for changes in, and resulting modifications to 
licensure standards and requirements; and
    (iii) Intended vs. actual impacts of these changes on personnel 
quantity and quality;
    (2) Pre-service preparation for personnel to serve children with 
disabilities. The purpose of this review is to develop a profile of the 
current status of training programs for all types of personnel who 
serve children with disabilities. This profile should be designed to 
provide rich descriptions of training programs at the institutional, 
State, and National levels. This review must include, at a minimum, 
available information on:
    (i) Program entry mechanisms such as admissions criteria and 
recruitment strategies;
    (ii) Program structural features such as program level (associate, 
undergraduate, graduate), trainee and faculty ratios, tenure track and 
adjunct faculty ratios, internal and external sources of support 
(including State support and OSEP and other Federal support), training 
emphasis (categorical, multi-categorical, noncategorical), and program 
history;
    (iii) Program content features such as alignment with the 
principles and requirements of IDEA, alignment with current licensure 
and certification standards, extent to which program content reflects 
research-based knowledge and practice, depth and breadth of practicum 
opportunities, cross-disciplinary arrangements with other relevant 
programs (particularly regular education), and collaborative 
relationships with LEAs to provide induction support;
    (iv) Student demographic characteristics such as age, prior 
training and experience, racial and cultural diversity, and disability;
    (v) Program quality assurance features such as program quality 
indicators and procedures for assessing program quality (including on-
the-job performance of program completers); and

[[Page 25163]]

    (vi) Program outcome features such as the number of students 
completing the program; entrance into, and retention in, relevant 
positions for program completers; and the extent to which program 
completers assume positions in proximity to, or distant from, the 
training program location.
    (3) Current and projected supply of, and demand for, personnel to 
serve children with disabilities. This review must include, at a 
minimum, available information, at the National, State and local level, 
on:
    (i) The extent to which there exists, or will exist, an imbalance 
between available personnel and demand for personnel;
    (ii) The extent to which identified supply and demand discrepancies 
vary by personnel type and locality; and
    (iii) Factors that influence supply and demand discrepancies such 
as salary and wage structures, economic climate, population 
demographics, licensure and certification standards and requirements, 
and proximity to relevant training programs.
    (b) Identify critical gaps in the current knowledge base and design 
and conduct a program of study to address these gaps. The project must 
identify the most critical gaps in the current knowledge base on the 
basis of the comprehensive review conducted in paragraph (a) and design 
and conduct a program of study to address the identified critical gaps. 
The program of study must be guided by a conceptual framework that 
integrates the most pressing needs for expanded knowledge and that will 
directly inform needed changes in policies and practices at all levels 
(Federal, State, and local and in institutions of higher education). 
The program of study must employ a rigorous research and evaluation 
methodology and must be reviewed and accepted by panels of content, 
research, and evaluation experts. Panels of experts must be identified 
in collaboration with OSEP staff and convened by the applicant. The 
program of study must be designed to enhance, not duplicate, any 
current research and evaluation efforts, including those supported by 
OSEP and other Federal agencies.
    (c) Identify and disseminate policy and practice recommendations. 
On the basis of the comprehensive literature review conducted under 
paragraph (a), and the results of the program of study designed and 
conducted under paragraph (b), the project must identify emerging 
policy and practice recommendations related to: meeting current and 
projected demand; establishing meaningful licensure and certification 
standards and requirements; and providing effective training programs 
that produce highly qualified personnel to serve children with 
disabilities. Policy and practice recommendations must be reviewed and 
accepted by panels of experts in the identified topics. Panel members 
must be identified in collaboration with OSEP staff and convened by the 
project. Dissemination activities must be designed and carried out in 
collaboration with special education technical assistance providers and 
disseminators and with organizations and associations that represent 
policy maker audiences at the Federal, State, and local levels. 
Dissemination activities must also incorporate the use of state of the 
art communications technology and include information that is available 
and accessible through a web site. Documents must be in an accessible 
form.
    The project must collaborate with OSEP staff in strategic planning 
throughout the term of the project. A face-to-face meeting must be 
scheduled to occur within one month of the project award date to review 
the proposed project activities.
    In addition to the annual two-day Project Directors' meeting in 
Washington, DC mentioned in the ``General Requirements'' section of 
this notice, projects must budget for two additional meetings in 
Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal project officer and the 
other projects funded under this priority, to share information and 
discuss model development, evaluation, and project implementation 
issues.
    Costs associated with convening panels of experts as identified 
under paragraphs (b) and (c) must also be included in the project 
budget.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $850,000 for any 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.
    Project Period: Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will 
make one award for a cooperative agreement with a project period of up 
to 60 months subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for 
continuation awards. During the second year of the project, the 
Assistant Secretary will determine whether to continue the Center for 
the fourth and fifth years of the project period and will consider in 
addition to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a):
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts 
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team, 
including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed 
during the last half of the project's second year and may be included 
in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs 
associated with the services to be performed by the review team must 
also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are 
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The degree to which the project's design and technical 
strategies result in the dissemination of significant new knowledge.

Competitive Preference

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be 
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under 
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 70 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities 
[CFDA 84.327]

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to promote the 
development, demonstration, utilization of technology and to support 
educational media activities designed to be of educational value to 
children with disabilities. This program also provides support for 
eligible captioning, video description, and cultural activities.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General

[[Page 25164]]

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection criteria for the 
priorities under this program are drawn from the EDGAR general 
selection criteria menu. The specific selection criteria for each of 
these priorities are included in the funding application packet for the 
applicable competition.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

    Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies; 
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; private 
nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; 
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations. 
Eligible applicants for Absolute Priority 2 are limited to local 
educational agencies as defined in IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1401).

Priority

    Under section 687 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only 
applications that meet the following priority:

Absolute Priority 1--Research Institute on the Use of Assistive 
Technology In Education (CFDA 84.327G)

Background

    Technology has enhanced the lives of children with disabilities by 
providing them with access to the classroom and to learning. The 
Congress recognized this in passing the IDEA Amendments of 1997, P.L. 
105-17. These amendments introduced a provision requiring that teams 
responsible for developing an individualized education program (IEP) 
for a child with a disability ``consider whether the child requires 
assistive technology devices and services.''
    Section 602(1) of IDEA defines an assistive technology (AT) device 
as ``any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired 
commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to 
increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with 
a disability.'' According to Section 602(2), an AT service means, ``any 
service that directly assists a child with a disability in the 
selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device * * 
*''. The definition further describes an AT service as including such 
services as evaluation, purchasing, selection, coordination with other 
interventions, and training for the child and family as well as 
training or technical assistance for professionals.
    Data on children's use of AT are sparse. The statistics that do 
exist tend to focus on AT devices that provide physical or sensory 
access such as hearing aids, Braille, or wheelchairs. Less is known 
about the use of assistive technologies that can be used to support 
learning needs such as word-processing software, spellcheckers, or 
calculators.
    There is little argument that low, medium, and high technology 
devices can help individuals with disabilities perform functions that 
foster independence. Low-technology devices are simple, nonelectrical 
aids such as head pointers, adaptive eating utensils, or communication 
boards. Medium technology devices are aids that might use electricity, 
but are not computer driven, such as talking calculators or electronic 
organizers. High technology devices are computer based, such as 
multimedia databases or voice recognition systems.
    While these devices foster access to the classroom and to learning, 
there also are factors that may limit their widespread use. One factor 
is awareness. School districts may not have access to the latest 
information about technology or may not know where to go to get that 
information. A second factor is financial. Purchasing materials 
requires knowledge, trained personnel, time, money, and planning. 
Without such elements in place students may not gain timely access to 
AT devices. Training is another factor, not just for the child using 
the technology, but for practitioners who need to understand how to use 
a full continuum of technology in the classroom. School districts are 
still learning how best to provide students with the technology they 
need and are seeking alternative and cost-effective means to gain 
access to key technologies.

Priority

    The Assistant Secretary establishes an absolute priority for a 
research institute to study the use of AT to improve the provision of a 
free appropriate public education for children with disabilities.
    The Institute must study a range of school districts, reflecting 
diverse demographics in size, locale, and socio-economic conditions. 
Methodologies employed by the Institute may include but need not be 
limited to: interviews; case studies; focus groups; reviews of records; 
observations; and policy analyses.
    The Institute must consider what factors enhance or impede 
decisionmaking, planning, acquisition, maintenance, training, and 
instruction in the use of AT. At a minimum, the Institute must answer 
the following research questions:
    (a) Prevalence:
    What percentage of children with disabilities require various type 
of AT devices and services? What functions do these devices and 
services need to perform for the individual child?
    (b) School District Policy and Resources:
    What policies or guidelines and processes are in place to help the 
IEP team make decisions about AT devices and services? What resources 
are in place to finance AT devices and services (e.g., medicaid)? How 
do districts acquire AT? How is the technology managed and maintained?
    (c) IEP Practices:
    How are the individual's needs for the technology evaluated? How 
does the IEP team, including the student and family, determine when an 
AT device or service is appropriate? How is the appropriate technology 
selected, designed, or adapted to the individual child?
    (d) Training and Support:
    What training and technical assistance is available for teachers, 
other service providers, families, students, employers, and other 
appropriate individuals regarding AT? Are structures in place to 
promote collaboration between regular and special education teachers? 
What coordination is there with other agencies or service providers?
    (e) Instruction:
    What policies and practices are in place to support the use of AT 
in the learning environment? How is the technology integrated into 
classroom curriculum and instruction? Are evaluation measures in place 
to ensure that individual student's access and academic needs are being 
appropriately met by the technology?
    (f) Student Outcomes:
    How do AT devices and services affect student academic, social, and 
functional outcomes? How do AT devices and services affect school and 
classroom environments?
    The Institute must design and implement a dissemination approach 
that promotes the use of current knowledge and ongoing research 
findings. This approach must:
    (a) Develop links with appropriate Education Department technical 
assistance providers to communicate research findings and distribute 
products;
    (b) Collaborate as appropriate with other research institutes 
supported under the IDEA, other experts and researchers in related 
subject matter and methodological fields, and other related agencies 
such as the National Institute

[[Page 25165]]

on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and the 
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).
    (c) Develop an accessible website to link participating school 
districts and to provide up-to-date information on findings;
    (d) Prepare the research findings in formats that are useful for 
specific audiences, such as regular and special education 
practitioners, administrators, and policy makers;
    (e) Fund at least three graduate students per year as research 
assistants who have concentrations in disability issues and technology;
    (f) Meet with the OSEP project officer and appropriate OSEP staff 
in the first three months of the project to review the strategic work 
plan and the approach to dissemination; and
    (g) Budget three trips annually to Washington, DC (two trips to 
meet and collaborate with U.S. Department of Education officials and 
one trip, as specified in the ``General Requirements'' for all projects 
section of this notice, to attend the two-day Office of Special 
Education Programs Project Directors' Conference).
    Project Period: Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will 
make one award for a cooperative agreement with a project period of up 
to 48 months with an option to extend the project for six months for 
dissemination activities subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.253(a) for continuation awards.
    In determining whether to award the third and fourth year of the 
project, during the second year, the Assistant Secretary will consider 
in addition to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a):
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts 
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team, 
including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed in 
the sixth month of the project's second year and may be included in 
that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs associated 
with the services to be performed by the review team must also be 
included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are 
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
Institute; and
    (c) The degree to which the Institute's design and technical 
strategies demonstrate the potential for disseminating significant new 
knowledge.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be 
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under 
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $700,000 for any single budget period 
of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary of Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice 
published in the Federal Register.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 70 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.


    Note: For further information or clarification see the World 
Wide Web at: http://www.air.org/TECHIDEAS

Absolute Priority 2--Technology Research-To-Practice (84.327M)

Background

    A number of recent research and development efforts, many with 
Federal support, have focused on using technology to improve 
educational and early intervention results for infants, toddlers, and 
children with disabilities. These efforts have spanned a range of 
technologies, curriculum areas, student ages, and special needs. In 
some cases, these efforts have developed and tested new technology 
devices or products. Examples include devices that provide access to 
educational and early intervention for children with sensory or 
physical impairments, and instructional software for children with 
special learning needs. Other efforts have focused on using already-
available products or technologies to meet special educational and 
early intervention needs. Examples include new methods for using the 
World Wide Web or commercially available software to address the needs 
of children with disabilities.
    The results of these research and development efforts are not 
applied in practice as widely as they should be. In part, this is 
because the adoption of new technology approaches in education or early 
intervention can be a demanding process, requiring a sustained 
commitment from the school and district, and often requiring guidance 
and assistance from outside sources. The 1995 Office of Technology 
document entitled Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection 
(available on the World Wide Web at http://www.wws.princeton.edu/
<difference>ota/disk1/1995/9541.html), and Office of Special Education 
(OSEP) documents (available on the World Wide Web at http://www.air.org/TECHIDEAS) delineate a number of factors and approaches 
related to the implementation of technology in education and early 
intervention. Important factors include leadership and planning, access 
to appropriate technology, training, ongoing technical support and 
coaching, collaboration, and adequate teacher time. Careful 
consideration of factors, such as these, is essential for the sustained 
and effective implementation of new approaches to using technology to 
improve educational and early intervention results for infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities.

Priority

    This priority supports local school systems or early intervention 
providers in implementing research-based approaches for using 
technology to improve educational or early intervention results for 
infants, toddlers, or children with disabilities. Projects must:
    (a) Describe and implement an approach for using technology to 
improve results for one or more of the following levels: early 
intervention, preschool, elementary, middle school, or high school. 
Projects may use technology in a way that benefits children without 
disabilities, as long as the benefits for children with disabilities 
are clear and documented. The Assistant Secretary intends to fund at 
least two projects at each of the following levels: early intervention, 
preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school;
    (b) Provide credible prior research evidence of the effectiveness 
of the approach for improving educational and

[[Page 25166]]

early intervention results. Some resources for identifying research-
based approaches are available on the World Wide Web at http://www.air.org/TECHIDEAS. Approaches not referenced on this web site may 
also be used if there is research evidence of their effectiveness with 
infants, toddlers, or children with disabilities;
    (c) Describe and carry out a process for implementing and 
sustaining the approach in one or more schools, including a process for 
continued implementation of the approach after the Federal funding 
awarded under this priority ends;
    (d) Describe and carry out a rigorous evaluation of the 
effectiveness of the approach in improving educational or early 
intervention results for infants, toddlers, or children with 
disabilities;
    (e) Post quarterly updates on project progress on a World Wide Web 
site designated by OSEP, and participate in topical discussions on the 
World Wide Web site; and
    (f) Spend no more than 25 percent of the 36-month total of funds 
awarded under this priority for technology equipment and software.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications 
that are otherwise eligible for funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the extent to which an application 
demonstrates that participating schools are in high poverty rural or 
inner city areas.
    We will also give the following competitive preference under 
section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that 
are otherwise eligible for funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For purposes of these competitive preferences, applicants can be 
awarded up to a total of 20 points in addition to those awarded under 
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 120 points.
    Project Period: 36 months.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $170,000 for any 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Special Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children 
With Disabilities [CFDA 84.328]

    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.
    Under section 682(e) of IDEA, the Assistant Secretary is required 
to: (a) Make at least one award to a parent organization in each State, 
unless the Assistant Secretary does not receive an application from 
such an organization in each State of sufficient quality to warrant 
approval; and (b) select among applications submitted by parent 
organizations in a State in a manner that ensures the most effective 
assistance to parents, including parents in urban and rural areas, in 
the State.
    Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations, as defined in section 
682(g) of IDEA. A parent organization is a private nonprofit 
organization (other than an institution of higher education) that:
    (a) Has a board of directors, the parent and professional members 
of which are broadly representative of the population to be served and 
the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities, that 
includes individuals with disabilities and individuals working in the 
fields of special education, related services, and early intervention; 
or
    (b) Has a membership that represents the interest of individuals 
with disabilities and must establish a special governing board meeting 
the requirements for a board of directors in paragraph (a) and develops 
a memorandum of understanding between this special governing board and 
the board of directors of the organization that clearly outlines the 
relationship between the board and the committee and the decisionmaking 
responsibilities and authority of each.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection criteria for this 
priority are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The 
specific selection criteria for this priority are included in the 
funding application packet for this competition.

Priority

    Under section 682 of the Act and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Assistant 
Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the 
following priority. The Assistant Secretary funds under this 
competition only those applications that meet this priority:

Absolute Priority--Parent Training and Information Centers (84.328M)

Background

    The IDEA Amendments of 1997 strengthen the role of parents and 
increase their involvement in decisions about their children's 
education. In order to allocate resources more equitably, create a 
unified system of service delivery, and provide the broadest coverage 
for the parents and families in every State, the Department is making 
awards in five (5)-year cycles for each State. In fiscal year 2000, 
applications for 5-year awards will be accepted for the following 
States: Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, 
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
    In addition to the above State awards, the Assistant Secretary 
intends to fund one award in the Virgin Islands and one award in 
American Samoa.
    Until the first five (5)-year cycle is completed, there is a need 
to have an interim schedule for awards in States where there is more 
than one PTI and their current awards do not have the same end date. We 
are holding competitions for one or more awards in these States for the 
time periods needed to match the end date of the last Center funded.
    Applications will be accepted for FY 2000 interim competitions in 
the State of New York. The Assistant Secretary intends to fund two 
awards for one year each for the following:
    (a) One Center in the State of New York that will serve one or more 
underserved populations in a metropolitan area. This award will be for 
$185,000; and
    (b) One Center in the State of New York that will serve a 
metropolitan area with an emphasis on outreach to unserved or 
underserved populations. This award will be for $154,800.

Priority

    The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an absolute priority 
to support

[[Page 25167]]

Parent Training and Information Centers that--
    (a) Provide training and information that meets the training and 
information needs of parents of children with disabilities in the area 
served by the Center, particularly underserved parents and parents of 
children who may be inappropriately identified, including those who are 
not identified at all;
    (b) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to 
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA, including 
encouraging the use, and explaining the benefits, of alternative 
methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process described 
in IDEA;
    (c) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children with the 
full range of disabilities;
    (d) Assist parents to--
    (1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities 
and their educational and developmental needs;
    (2) Communicate effectively with personnel responsible for 
providing special education, early intervention, and related services;
    (3) Participate in decisionmaking processes and the development of 
individualized education programs and individualized family service 
plans;
    (4) Obtain appropriate information about the range of options, 
programs, services, and resources available to assist children with 
disabilities and their families;
    (5) Understand the provisions of the Act for the education of, and 
the provision of early intervention services to, children with 
disabilities; and
    (6) Participate in school reform activities;
    (e) Contract with the State education agency, if the State elects 
to contract with the Parent Training and Information Center, for the 
purpose of meeting with parents who choose not to use the mediation 
process to encourage the use, and explain the benefits, of mediation 
consistent with section 615(e)(2)(B) and (D) of IDEA;
    (f) Establish cooperative relations with the Community Parent 
Resource Center or Centers in their State in accordance with section 
683(b)(3) of IDEA;
    (g) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including 
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under 
section 685(d) of IDEA, 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;
    (h) Annually report to the Assistant Secretary on--
    (1) The number of parents to whom Parent Training and Information 
Centers provided information and training in the most recently 
concluded fiscal year, and
    (2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve 
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities; 
and
    (i) If there is more than one parent center in a particular State, 
coordinate their activities to ensure the most effective assistance to 
parents in that State.
    An applicant must identify the strategies it will undertake--
    (a) To ensure that the needs for training and information of 
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the areas to be 
served are effectively met, particularly in underserved areas of the 
State; and
    (b) To work with the community-based organizations, particularly in 
the underserved areas of the State.
    A Parent Training and Information Center that receives assistance 
under this absolute priority may also conduct the following 
activities--
    (a) Provide information to teachers and other professionals who 
provide special education and related services to children with 
disabilities;
    (b) Assist students with disabilities to understand their rights 
and responsibilities on reaching the age of majority, as stated in 
section 615(m) of IDEA; and
    (c) Assist parents of children with disabilities to be informed 
participants in the development and implementation of the State 
improvement plan under IDEA.
    In addition to the annual Project Directors' meeting included in 
the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice, a project's budget 
must include funds to attend a regional Project Directors' meeting to 
be held each year of the project.
    In order to demonstrate eligibility to receive a grant, an 
applicant must describe how its board or special governing committee 
meets the criteria for a parent organization in section 682(g) of IDEA. 
In addition, any parent organization that establishes a special 
governing committee under section 682(g)(2) of IDEA must demonstrate 
that the by-laws of its organization allows the governing committee to 
be responsible for operating the project (consistent with existing 
fiscal policies of its organization).
    Current funding levels, population of school age children, and the 
relative proportion of children living in poverty will be considered in 
determining funding levels for grants.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this 
goal.
    For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be 
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under 
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Project Period: With the exception of the following, projects will 
be funded for a period up to 60 months. Interim projects will be funded 
for a period up to 12 months.
    Estimated Project Awards: Project award amounts are for a single 
budget period of 12 months. The FY 2000 State awards, including Virgin 
Islands and American Samoa, and interim State awards, are listed below:

Hawaii--$160,680
Idaho--$158,780
Louisiana--$257,100
New Hampshire--$158,600
North Carolina--$311,700
Oklahoma--$198,180
Pennsylvania--$469,750
Rhode Island--$159,400
Tennessee--$279,800
West Virginia--$160,680
Virgin Islands--$107,820
American Samoa--$107,120
New York (Interim Awards)--$339,800

    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Special Education Studies and Evaluations [CFDA 84.329]

    Purpose of Program: To assess progress in implementing IDEA, 
including State and local efforts to provide free appropriate public 
education to children with disabilities, and early intervention 
services to infants and toddlers with disabilities.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General

[[Page 25168]]

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99;
    (b) The selection criteria for the priority under this program are 
drawn from the EDGAR general selection menu. The specific selection 
criteria for this priority are included in the funding application 
packet for the applicable competition.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

    Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies; 
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; for-profit 
organizations; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely 
associated States; and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.

Priority

    Under section 674 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only 
applications that meet the following priority:

Absolute Priority--An Evaluation of the State Program Improvement Grant 
(SIG) Program (CFDA 84.329A)

Background

    A new discretionary program became part of IDEA during the 1997 
reauthorization. Part D, Subpart 1--State Program Improvement Grants 
for Children with Disabilities--was added for the purpose of assisting 
State educational agencies and their partners in reforming and 
improving their educational, early intervention, and transitional 
service systems, including their systems for professional development, 
technical assistance, and dissemination of knowledge about best 
practices to improve results for children with disabilities.
    Beginning in FY 1999, SIGs were awarded to State educational 
agencies on a competitive basis for five years at amounts of $500,000 
to $1,800,000 per year depending on the relative population of the 
States, amount of funds available, and the types of activities 
proposed. Specific grant activities were based on State improvement 
plans that were developed based on assessments of State and local needs 
and by authorizing legislation. Eighteen States received grant awards 
in FY 1999 \1\ and approximately seven additional awards will be made 
in FY 2000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Detailed information on the FY 1999 SIG projects is 
available from the Federal Resource Center web site (http:/
www.dssc.org/frc/sigres.htm).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The evaluation study to be awarded under this priority will be 
largely formative in nature; that is, the U.S. Department of Education, 
Office of Special Education Programs will use the data collected in 
this evaluation to:
    (a) Inform the reauthorization of this program in 2002;
    (b) Suggest related or supportive priorities for discretionary 
funding;
    (c) Improve future SIG competitions; and
    (d) Improve SIG project management at the Federal level.

Priority

    The purpose of this priority is to fund one five-year cooperative 
agreement that will evaluate the SIG program, as implemented by States 
receiving grants under this competition (CFDA 84.323A).
    (a) The evaluation must provide--
    (1) Information and recommendations regarding the extent to which 
this program is meeting, and is likely to meet in the future, three 
fundamental goals of the program:
    (i) To implement systemic improvements in the provision of 
educational, early intervention, and transitional services to infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities, including systems for 
professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of 
best practice;
    (ii) To use professional development and technical assistance 
activities as a means to achieving systemic improvements; and
    (iii) To improve results for infants, toddlers, children and youth 
with disabilities as an outcome of systemic change.
    (2) Information on the extent to which the requirements in the Act 
applicable to SIGs contribute to the achievement of program goals in 
paragraph (1).
    (b) At a minimum, this project must--
    (1) Propose a design for the evaluation that includes:
    (i) A description of the overall approach or type of evaluation to 
be conducted;
    (ii) An initial set of evaluation questions based on the purposes 
of the evaluation as stated previously.
    (iii) A matrix of potential sources of evaluation data for SIG 
projects receiving funds during the five-year term of this cooperative 
agreement, the methods of data collection, the instruments to be used, 
and other measurement issues related to each of the evaluation 
questions. Qualitative or quantitative data collection methods may be 
proposed; however, the methods chosen must:
    (A) Allow data to be collected with precision; and
    (B) Maximize validity and reliability; and
    (iv) An analysis plan that outlines the type of data to be gathered 
and the specific analyses to be conducted, including appropriate 
statistical or valuational criteria to be applied to these data. The 
plan should also indicate how best to communicate the results of the 
analyses to Congress, OSEP, and other interested parties.
    (2) Propose a timeline for implementing the design over the five-
year project period that allows for refining the evaluation design in 
the first year, establishing contacts with the SIG grantees, developing 
and pilot testing instruments and executing the OMB forms clearance 
process;
    (3) Propose a communication plan with OSEP that describes:
    (i) Methods for providing consistent and timely updates regarding 
the progress of this project and for identifying any constraints or 
barriers that arise in implementing the final evaluation design, budget 
changes, preliminary findings, and reports. The communication plan 
should include the annual Grant Performance Report for Continuation 
Funding and, at minimum, one meeting annually with OSEP staff in 
Washington, DC (in conjunction with the meeting described in the 
``General Requirements'' section of this notice) to discuss project 
implementation issues and preliminary findings. This annual meeting is 
in addition to the meeting described in paragraph (4);
    (ii) A series of interim reports containing study findings relative 
to the research questions and consistent with the timeline for 
implementing the design. At least one of these interim reports must be 
developed prior to the expiration of the authorization for the SIG 
program in September 2002; and
    (iii) A final technical report of the evaluation (due 60 months 
following the start date of the project) that contains, at minimum, the 
following sections:
    (A) Executive Summary;
    (B) Background information on the SIG program;
    (C) Description of the evaluation study;
    (D) Results;
    (E) Discussion of results; and
    (F) Conclusions, Recommendations, and Options.
    A detailed outline of the final report shall be submitted for 
review by the project officer 56 months after the start date of the 
project. In addition, the project officer shall have an opportunity to 
provide input on a draft version of the final report due 57 months 
after the start date of the project;
    (4) Meet with the OSEP project officer and other OSEP staff within 
three weeks

[[Page 25169]]

of the start date for the project to review and revise, if necessary, 
the proposed evaluation design (including the evaluation questions and 
analysis plan), the timeline and communication plan. The final versions 
of these documents, including any changes resulting from this meeting, 
will be incorporated into the requirements of the cooperative 
agreement; and
    (5) Implement the evaluation consistent with the design, timeline, 
and communication plan.
    Project Period: Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will 
make one award for a cooperative agreement with a project period of 60 
months subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation 
awards.
    In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and 
fifth years, the Assistant Secretary, will consider the requirements of 
34 CFR 75.253(a), and in addition--
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts 
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team, 
including a two-day site visit to the grantee, are to be performed 
during the last half of the project's second year and may be included 
in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs 
associated with the services to be performed by the review team must 
also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are 
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The extent to which the project's design and methodology is 
likely to yield findings that may be utilized by other appropriate 
agencies and organizations.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preferences under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant 
Secretary can consider the applicant's success in pursuit of this goal.
    Up to ten (10) points based on the extent to which the applicant 
can demonstrate previous success in preparing and submitting a forms 
clearance package for OMB approval and participating in the forms 
clearance process as part of a previous project funded by the 
Department of Education.
    Within these competitive preferences, applicants can be awarded up 
to a total of 20 points in addition to those awarded under the 
published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an applicant 
meeting both these competitive preferences could earn a maximum total 
of 120 points.
    Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application 
that proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for any 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 70 double-
spaced pages.

    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

    For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), 
P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-
877-4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827). FAX: 301-470-1244. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call (toll free) 1-
877-576-7734.
    You may also contact Ed Pubs via its Web site (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html) or its E-mail address (<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a9cccdd9dccbdae9c0c7ccdd87cccd87cec6df"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bdd8d9cdc8dfcefdd4d3d8c993d8d993dad2cb">[email protected]</span></a>).
    For Further Information Contact: Grants and Contracts Services 
Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 3317, 
Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 260-9182.
    If you use a TDD you may call the Federal Information Relay Service 
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact persons listed in the preceding 
paragraph.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternate format by contacting the Department at the 
address listed. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an 
alternate format the standard forms included in the application 
package.

Intergovernmental Review

    All programs in this notice (except for Research and Innovation 
84.324T) are subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 and 
the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. The objective of the Executive order 
is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
federalism by relying on processes developed by State and local 
governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial 
assistance.
    In accordance with the order, we intend this document to provide 
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for 
those programs.

                                   Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Application     Deadline for      Maximum                                                 Estimated
          CFDA No. and name           Applications    deadline   intergovernmental  award  (per          Project period          Page limit   number of
                                        available       date           review        year) \1\                                      \2\         awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.324T Model Demonstration Projects      05/05/00     06/16/00             N/A     ...........  Up to 48 mos.................           50           15
    Focus Area 1: First two 12-month  ............  ...........  .................     $150,000  .............................  ...........  ...........
     funding periods.
    Focus Area 1: Final two 12-month  ............  ...........  .................       75,000  .............................  ...........  ...........
     funding periods.
    Focus Area 2....................  ............  ...........  .................      180,000  .............................        50/80           14
84.325B Training Center In Early          05/05/00     06/16/00        08/15/00         500,000  Up to 60 mos.................           70            1
 Intervention for Infants and
 Toddlers Who Have Visual
 Impairments Including Blindness.

[[Page 25170]]

 
84.325C Training Center In Early          05/05/00     06/16/00        08/15/00         500,000  Up to 60 mos.................           70            1
 Intervention for Infants and
 Toddlers Who Have Hearing
 Impairments Including Deafness.
84.325F National IHE Faculty              05/05/00     06/16/00        08/15/00         850,000  Up to 60 mos.................           70            1
 Enhancement Center to Improve
 Results for Children with
 Disabilities in School.
84.325Q Center to Inform Personnel        05/05/00     06/16/00        08/15/00         850,000  Up to 60 mos.................           70            1
 Preparation Policy and Practice in
 Special Education.
84.327G Research Institute on the         05/05/00     06/23/00        08/22/00         700,000  Up to 48 mos.................           70            1
 Use of Assistive Technology in
 Education.
84.327M Technology Research to            05/05/00     06/30/00        08/29/00         170,000  36 months....................           50            1
 Practice.
84.328M Parent Training and               05/05/00     06/23/00        08/22/00     ...........  Up to 60 mos.................           50           10
 Information Centers.
    Hawaii..........................  ............  ...........  .................      160,680  .............................  ...........  ...........
    Idaho...........................  ............  ...........  .................      158,780  .............................  ...........  ...........
    Louisiana.......................  ............  ...........  .................      257,100  .............................  ...........  ...........
    New Hampshire...................  ............  ...........  .................      158,600  .............................  ...........  ...........
    North Carolina..................  ............  ...........  .................      311,700  .............................  ...........  ...........
    Oklahoma........................  ............  ...........  .................      198,180  .............................  ...........  ...........
    Pennsylvania....................  ............  ...........  .................      469,750  .............................  ...........  ...........
    Rhode Island....................  ............  ...........  .................      159,400  .............................  ...........  ...........
    Tennessee.......................  ............  ...........  .................      279,800  .............................  ...........  ...........
    West Virginia...................  ............  ...........  .................      160,680  .............................  ...........  ...........
    Virgin Islands..................  ............  ...........  .................      107,820  .............................  ...........  ...........
    American Samoa..................  ............  ...........  .................      107,120  .............................  ...........  ...........
    New York (Interim)..............  ............  ...........  .................      339,800  Up to 12 mos.................           50            2
84.329A An Evaluation of the State        05/05/00     06/30/00        08/29/00         500,000  60 months....................           70           1
 Improvement Grant Program.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Assistant Secretary rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding the amount listed for each priority for any
  single budget period of 12 months.
\2\ Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted above. Please refer to the ``Page Limit''
  requirements included under each priority description and in the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. The Assistant Secretary rejects and
  does not consider an application that does not adhere to this requirement.
Note:The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you 
have questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing 
Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC 
area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of 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.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html


    Dated: April 25, 2000.
Curtis L. Richards,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 00-10610 Filed 4-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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