48822 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 153 / Tuesday, August 9, 2011 / Notices 

1As used here, an IEP is a written statement for 

each child with a disability that is developed, 

reviewed, and revised in a meeting in accordance 

with 34 CFR 300.320 through 300.324 (34 CFR 

300.320(a)). The term IEP Team means a group of 

individuals described in 34 CFR 300.321 that is 

responsible for developing, reviewing, or revising 

an IEP for a child with a disability (34 CFR 300.23). 

An IEP Team includes both parents and school 

officials. Additionally, if a purpose of an IEP Team 

meeting will be the consideration of the 

postsecondary goals for the student and the 

transition services needed to assist the student in 

reaching those goals, the student must be invited to 

attend that meeting (34 CFR 300.321(b)(1)). Also, to 

the extent appropriate, with the consent of the 

parents or a student who has reached the age of 

majority, the public agency must invite a 

representative of any participating agency that is 

likely to be responsible for providing or paying for 

transition services to an IEP Team meeting where 

postsecondary goals and transition services are 

considered (34 CFR 300.321(b)(3)). 

2The term transition services means a 

coordinated set of activities for a child with a 

disability that—(A) Is designed to be within a 

results-oriented process, that is focused on 

improving the academic and functional 

achievement of the child with a disability to 

facilitate the child’s movement from school to postschool activities, including post-secondary 

education, vocational education, integrated 

employment (including supported employment), 

continuing and adult education, adult services, 

independent living, or community participation; (B) 

is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into 

account the child’s strengths, preferences, and 

interests; and (C) includes instruction, related 

services, community experiences, the development 

of employment and other post-school adult living 

objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of 

daily living skills and functional vocational 

evaluation. (20 U.S.C. 1401(34)). 

application, and whether the grantee 

has expended funds in a manner that is 

consistent with its approved application 

and budget. In making a continuation 

grant, the Secretary also considers 

whether the grantee is operating in 

compliance with the assurances in its 

approved application, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department (34 CFR 

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

VII. Agency Contact 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Louise Tripoli, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 4077, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), 

Washington, DC 20202–2550. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7554. 

If you use a TDD, call the Federal 

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

877–8339. 

VIII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: Individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document 

and a copy of the application package in 

an accessible format (e.g., braille, large 

print, audiotape, or computer diskette) 

by contacting the Grants and Contracts 

Services Team, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 

20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245– 

7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll 

free, at 1–800–877–8339. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

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 via the Federal Digital System 

at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this 

site you can view this document, as well 

as all other documents of this 

Department published in the Federal 

Register, in text or Adobe Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at: http:// 

www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, 

through the advanced search feature at 

this site, you can limit your search to 

documents published by the 

Department. 

Dated: August 4, 2011. 

Alexa Posny, 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20180 Filed 8–8–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; 

Technical Assistance and 

Dissemination To Improve Services 

and Results for Children With 

Disabilities—Transition to College and 

Careers Center 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

Overview Information: Technical 

Assistance and Dissemination to 

Improve Services and Results for 

Children with Disabilities—Transition 

to College and Careers Center; Notice 

inviting applications for new awards for 

fiscal year (FY) 2011. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

(CFDA) Number: 84.326J. 

Dates: Applications Available: August 

9, 2011. Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: September 8, 2011. 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the Technical Assistance and 

Dissemination to Improve Services and 

Results for Children with Disabilities 

program is to promote academic 

achievement and to improve results for 

children with disabilities by providing 

technical assistance (TA), supporting 

model demonstration projects, 

disseminating useful information, and 

implementing activities that are 

supported by scientifically based 

research. 

Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 

75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from 

allowable activities specified in the 

statute or otherwise authorized in the 

statute (see sections 663 and 681(d) of 

the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1463 

and 1481(d)). 

Absolute Priority: For FY 2011 and 

any subsequent year in which we make 

awards based on the list of unfunded 

applicants from this competition, this 

priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 

CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only 

applications that meet this priority. 

This priority is: 

Technical Assistance and Dissemination 

To Improve Services and Results for 

Children With Disabilities—Transition 

to College and Careers Center 

Background: 

The Department is committed to the 

goal of ensuring that every child is on 

track to graduate from high school with 

the knowledge and skills needed for 

success in college and careers. Under 

Part B of IDEA, State educational 

agencies (SEAs) and local educational 

agencies (LEAs) must ensure that the 

individualized education programs 

(IEPs) of children with disabilities who 

turn 16, or younger if determined 

appropriate by the IEP Team,1 include 

appropriate, measurable postsecondary 

goals in specified areas and the 

transition services 2 needed to assist the 

child in reaching those goals. The 

postsecondary goals and transition 

services components in the IEPs of 

eligible students with disabilities must 

be updated annually thereafter (20 

U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)(VIII)). The SEA 

must also have in effect policies and 

procedures related to interagency 

agreements or other mechanisms for 

interagency coordination to meet its 

obligation related to, and methods of, 

ensuring transition services for students 

with disabilities (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(12)). 

Effective transition services are 

directly linked to better post-school 

outcomes for students with disabilities 

(National Alliance for Secondary 

Education and Transition (NASET), 

2005; Test, Fowler, Richter, White, 

Mazzotti, Walker, Kohler & Kortering, 

2009; Test, Mazzotti, Mustian, Fowler, 

Kortering & Kohler, 2009). Researchers 


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3 In the past, the Department helped to support 

a Youth to Work Coalition (YWC)—a group of 

Federal agencies, businesses, and foundations—to 

assist businesses in creating or enhancing 

internship and mentoring programs focused on 

engaging youth with disabilities and providing 

them with meaningful work-based learning 

experiences. Developing relationships between 

schools and community employers with regard to 

internship and mentoring programs is a key strategy 

for connecting students with disabilities to workbased learning experiences while still in high 

school (Carter, Trainor, Cakiroglu, Cole, Swedeen, 

Ditchman & Owens, 2009). 

4As used here, functional skills refer to four 

cluster areas (motor skills, social interaction and 

communication, personal living skills, and 

community living skills) (Wagner et al, 2006). 

5These priority areas are: provision of a free 

appropriate public education in the least restrictive 

environment; State exercise of general supervisory 

authority, including child find, effective 

monitoring, the use of resolution sessions, 

mediation, voluntary binding arbitration, and a 

system of transition services as defined in section 

602(34) and 637(a)(9) of IDEA; and disproportionate 

representation of racial and ethnic groups in special 

education and related services, to the extent the 

representation is the result of inappropriate 

identification. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)). 

6 Indicator 13 has been revised, and States 

reported data on the revised Indicator 13 for the 

first time in the Federal Fiscal Year 2009 SPP/APR, 

(submitted February 1, 2011 for the period covering 

July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010). The text of 

Indicator 13 can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/

policy/speced/guid/idea/bapr/2010/b2-1820-

0624bmeastable111210.doc. 

have identified evidence-based practices 

for transition services (e.g., teaching 

employment skills using communitybased instruction, encouraging and 

facilitating self-directed IEPs, teaching 

parents and families about transition, 

and structuring programs to extend 

services beyond secondary school) that 

help to improve student outcomes and 

better prepare students for college, other 

postsecondary education and training, 

and the workforce (Cobb & Alwell, 2009; 

NASET, 2005; Test, Fowler et al., 2009; 

Test, Mazzotti et al., 2009). Further, a 

review of research and practice 

indicates that LEAs and schools can 

implement and scale-up evidence-based 

practices with fidelity when proper 

supports, such as ongoing consultation 

and coaching for key staff, regular 

evaluation of staff performance, and 

data-based decision-making, are in place 

(Fixsen, Naoom, Blase ́, Friedman, & 

Wallace, 2005). To improve 

postsecondary success for students with 

disabilities, LEAs and schools need 

more support in ensuring the delivery 

and implementation of effective 

transition services (Landmark, Ju, & 

Zhang, 2010). 

President Obama has established a 

goal that by 2020, the United States will 

once again have the highest proportion 

of college graduates in the world. To 

accomplish this goal, we need to better 

prepare all high school students for 

postsecondary education and 

employment; students with disabilities 

will need more preparation for these 

post-school outcomes than most. Data 

suggest that many high school students 

are underprepared to enter 

postsecondary education and 

employment settings (Casner-Lotto & 

Barrington, 2006; U.S. Department of 

Education, 2004). The National 

Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS– 

2) reports considerable gaps in 

achievement in the core academic 

subjects between students with 

disabilities and their non-disabled peers 

and suggests that students with 

disabilities are less likely to enroll in 

postsecondary education programs 

(Newman, Wagner, Cameto, & Knokey, 

2009; Wagner, Newman, Cameto, & 

Levine, 2006). Students with disabilities 

are also less likely to enter post-school 

employment. The U.S. Department of 

Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 

reported that in May of 2009, only 22.9 

percent of individuals with 

disabilities—as compared to 71.1 

percent of the general population—were 

in the workforce (BLS, 2009). Postschool outcomes are even more 

discouraging for particular 

subpopulations of individuals with 

disabilities, including individuals with 

emotional disturbance or intellectual 

disabilities and those from culturally 

and linguistically diverse backgrounds 

(Newman et al., 2009). 

To improve post-school outcomes for 

students with disabilities, LEAs and 

schools need support in (1) Accessing or 

establishing programs and initiatives 

designed to ensure college- and careerreadiness, such as more challenging or 

alternative courses, as well as workbased learning experiences; 3 and (2) 

facilitating the participation and 

completion in those programs and 

initiatives of students with disabilities. 

Researchers and policymakers suggest 

that enrollment in more rigorous, 

academically intense programs (e.g., 

Advanced Placement [AP] or dual high 

school and college enrollment) in high 

school can prepare students, including 

those with previously low achievement 

levels, to enroll and persist in 

postsecondary education at higher rates 

than similar students who pursue less 

challenging courses of study (Adelman, 

2006; College Board, 2010; Karp, 

Calcagno, Hughes, Jeong, Bailey, 2007; 

Tierney, Bailey, Constantine, 

Finkelstein, & Hurd, 2009). In addition, 

the use of context-based approaches in 

which academic content and career and 

technical education curricula are 

integrated has resulted in improved 

student performance on standardized 

measures of math and literacy 

achievement (Pearson, Sawyer, Park, 

Santamaria, van der Mandele, Keene, 

Taylor, 2010; Stone, Alfeld, Pearson, 

Lewis, Jensen, 2006). Preparing students 

with disabilities for successful postschool outcomes also involves assisting 

them in improving their achievement of 

functional skills.4 In a study of the 

functional achievement of students with 

disabilities, a substantial number of 

youth with disabilities were rated at the 

lowest performing level when compared 

to their non-disabled peers (Wagner et 

al, 2006). Researchers have identified 

evidence-based practices that improve 

functional skills in activities such as 

balancing a checkbook and purchasing 

groceries (Ayers, Langone, Boon, & 

Norman, 2006); and locating, carrying, 

and purchasing items in stores (Alberto, 

Cihak, & Gama, 2005; Bates, Cuvi, Miner 

& Korabek, 2001; Cihak, Alberto, 

Kessler, & Taber, 2004). Researchers 

have also identified evidence-based 

practices that support gains in social 

skills, work-related interpersonal skills, 

interviewing skills, job maintenance 

skills, and specific job-related skills 

(Izzo, Cartledge, Miller, Growick, & 

Rutkowski, 2000). Finally, work-based 

learning experiences—ranging from job 

shadowing to internships and 

apprenticeships—are essential for 

preparing students with disabilities 

with the knowledge and skills needed 

for success in the workforce (Lynn & 

Mack, 2008; Symonds, Schwartz & 

Ferguson, 2011). 

In addition to funding research on 

improving post-school outcomes for 

students with disabilities, the 

Department’s Office of Special 

Education Programs (OSEP) monitors 

States in certain priority areas,5 using 

specific indicators. States are required 

to monitor their LEAs using most of 

those same indicators (20 U.S.C. 

1416(a)(3)). States report data related to 

20 indicators in their IDEA, Part B State 

Performance Plan/Annual Performance 

Report (SPP/APR). IDEA, Part B 

Indicator 13 (Indicator 13), which 

concerns IEP requirements related to 

postsecondary goals and transition 

services, is a compliance indicator, and 

States are required to meet a 100 percent 

target for this indicator.6 In addition, 

States collect and use Indicator 13 data, 

in part, to assess their LEAs’ 

implementation of these IEP 

requirements. In the past 5 years, OSEP 

has funded the National Secondary 

Transition Technical Assistance Center 

(NSTTAC) (http://www.nsttac.org) to 

support States to develop, implement, 

and improve transition services and to 

collect and use Indicator 13 data 


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7For the purposes of this priority, scale-up means 

to reach ‘‘a tipping point at which at least 60 

percent of the students who could benefit from an 

innovation are experiencing it in their educational 

setting. To scale-up innovations, a State must first 

scale-up implementation capacity in all districts in 

the State’’. (State Implementation and Scaling-Up of 

Evidence-Based Practices Center (http://www.

scalingup.org)). 

8For the purposes of this priority, evidence-based 

practices means practices for which there is ‘‘strong 

evidence’’ or ‘‘moderate evidence’’ of effectiveness 

as defined in the Department’s notice of final 

supplemental priorities and definitions for 

discretionary grant programs, published in the 

Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 

78486). 

9For the purposes of this priority, functional is 

used as described in the Analysis of Comments and 

Changes section of the preamble to the final 

regulations in 34 CFR parts 300 and 301, 

(Assistance to States for the Education of Children 

with Disabilities and Preschool Grants for Children 

with Disabilities), published in the Federal Register 

on August 14, 2006 (71 FR 46540, 46661). Although 

not defined in the regulations, the term is generally 

understood to refer to ‘‘skills or activities that are 

not considered academic or related to a child’s 

academic achievement, * * * [but] is often used in 

the context of routine activities of everyday living.’’ 

(http://www.nsttac.org). According to an 

analysis conducted by NSTTAC (2009), 

States initially reported relatively low 

levels of compliance with Indicator 13. 

However, in the Federal Fiscal Year 

(FFY) 2009 SPP/APR, (submitted 

February 1, 2011 for the period covering 

July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010), 60 

percent of States reported Indicator 13 

data that ranged between 80 percent and 

100 percent compliance (NSTTAC, in 

press). All States are required to meet 

Indicator 13’s 100 percent compliance 

target. 

To further improve their compliance 

with Indicator 13, States indicated that 

they will need to provide LEAs and 

their stakeholders (e.g., parents, 

vocational rehabilitation counselors, 

postsecondary education disability 

service providers) with: (1) Training or 

professional development; (2) TA; (3) 

information on how to improve data 

collection and reporting; (4) assistance 

with clarifying, examining, or 

developing policies and procedures; and 

(5) strategies for improving 

collaboration and coordination among 

transition services providers (NSTTAC, 

2009). States continue to need TA in 

order to build their capacity to meet 

IDEA, Part B’s postsecondary goals and 

transition services requirements and 

meet the 100 percent target for 

compliance with Indicator 13. States 

also continue to need TA to ensure that 

all students are well prepared for 

college (or other postsecondary 

education and training) and the 

workforce. 

The Department proposes to support 

a Transition to College and Careers 

Center (Center) to assist States and LEAs 

with developing appropriate, 

measurable postsecondary goals and 

implementing transition services that 

result in improved academic and 

functional achievement of students with 

disabilities and a successful transition 

to college (or other postsecondary 

education and training) and the 

workforce. The Center’s scope of work 

would include activities that are 

focused on supporting the 

implementation of evidence-based 

practices for transition services and 

facilitating and increasing the 

participation of students with 

disabilities in programs and initiatives 

to ensure college- and career-readiness 

(e.g., AP courses, dual high school and 

college enrollment programs, career and 

technical education, and work-based 

learning experiences). 

Priority: 

The purpose of this priority is to fund 

a cooperative agreement to support the 

establishment and operation of a 

Transition to College and Careers Center 

that will provide TA and disseminate 

useful information to SEAs, LEAs, 

schools, and other stakeholders to 

improve the: (1) Implementation and 

scaling up 7 of evidence-based 

practices 8 to assist SEAs and LEAs in 

the development of appropriate 

measurable postsecondary goals and the 

implementation of the transition 

services (as defined in section 602(34) of 

IDEA) that will lead to improved 

academic and functional 9 achievement 

for students with disabilities and 

prepare them for college or other 

postsecondary education and training 

and the workforce; (2) implementation 

of SEA and LEA policies, procedures, 

and practices that facilitate and increase 

the participation of students with 

disabilities in programs and initiatives 

that are designed to ensure college- and 

career-readiness; and (3) achievement of 

compliance with the 100 percent target 

for IDEA, Part B Indicator 13 so that 

SEAs and LEAs can develop, 

implement, and annually update IEPs 

for eligible students with disabilities, 

generally age 16 and above, that contain 

appropriate measurable postsecondary 

goals and the transition services, as 

defined in section 602(34) of IDEA, 

needed to assist students in reaching 

those goals. These activities will 

support SEA and LEA efforts to ensure 

that all students with disabilities are 

prepared for college (or other 

postsecondary education and training) 

and the workforce. 

To be considered for funding under 

this absolute priority, applicants must 

meet the application requirements 

contained in this priority. Any project 

funded under this absolute priority also 

must meet the programmatic and 

administrative requirements specified in 

the priority. 

Application Requirements. An 

applicant must include in its 

application— 

(a) A logic model that depicts, at a 

minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, 

and outcomes of the proposed project. A 

logic model communicates how a 

project will achieve its outcomes and 

provides a framework for both the 

formative and summative evaluations of 

the project; 

Note: The following Web sites provide 

more information on logic models: http://

www.researchutilization.org/matrix/

logicmodel_resource3c.html and http://www.

tadnet.org/model_and_performance. 

(b) A plan to implement the activities 

described in the Project Activities 

section of this priority; 

(c) A plan, linked to the proposed 

project’s logic model, for a formative 

evaluation of the proposed project’s 

activities. The plan must describe how 

the formative evaluation will use clear 

performance objectives to ensure 

continuous improvement in the 

operation of the proposed project, 

including objective measures of progress 

in implementing the project and 

ensuring the quality of products and 

services; 

(d) A budget for a summative 

evaluation to be conducted by an 

independent third party; 

(e) A budget for attendance at the 

following: 

(1) A one and one half day kick-off 

meeting to be held in Washington, DC, 

within four weeks after receipt of the 

award, and an annual planning meeting 

held in Washington, DC, with the OSEP 

Project Officer during each subsequent 

year of the project period. 

(2) A three-day Project Directors’ 

Conference in Washington, DC, during 

each year of the project period. 

(3) A two-day Technical Assistance 

and Dissemination Conference in 

Washington, DC, during each year of the 

project period. 

(4) A two-day OSEP Leadership Mega 

Conference in Washington, DC, during 

each year of the project period. 

(5) One one-day trip annually to 

attend Department briefings, 

Department-sponsored conferences, and 

other meetings, as requested by OSEP; 

and 

(f) A line item in the proposed budget 

for an annual set-aside of five percent of 

the grant amount to support emerging 

needs that are consistent with the 

proposed project’s activities, as those 

needs are identified in consultation 

with OSEP. 


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10For the purposes of this priority, intensive TA 

means TA services that require a stable, on-going 

negotiated relationship between the TA Center staff 

and the TA recipient, and include a purposeful, 

planned series of activities designed to reach an 

outcome that is valued by the host organization. 

Intensive TA typically results in changes to policy, 

program, practice, or operations that support 

increased recipient capacity and/or improved 

outcomes at one or more systems levels (State 

Implementation and Scaling-Up of Evidence-Based 

Practices Center (Fixen, Blase ́, Horner,& Sugai, 

2009). 

Note: With approval from the OSEP Project 

Officer, the Center must reallocate any 

remaining funds from this annual set-aside 

no later than the end of the third quarter of 

each budget period. 

Project Activities. To meet the 

requirements of this priority, the Center, 

at a minimum, must conduct the 

following activities: 

Knowledge Development Activities. 

(a) Conduct a comprehensive review 

of studies and related evidence and 

prepare papers that synthesize the 

research on policies and practices 

related to the transition of students with 

disabilities to postsecondary education 

or a workforce setting (secondary 

transition) and college- and careerreadiness among students with 

disabilities. In conducting the review of 

studies and related evidence, the Center 

must use standards that are consistent 

with those used by the What Works 

Clearinghouse and the definitions of 

strong evidence and moderate evidence 

contained in the Definitions section of 

the notice of final supplemental 

priorities and definitions for 

discretionary grant programs, published 

in the Federal Register on December 15, 

2010 (75 FR 78486). The papers must 

present the research in a format that is 

accessible to the Center’s relevant 

audiences, including SEAs, LEAs, and 

schools, and clearly articulate the 

strength (i.e., internal validity) and the 

breadth (i.e., external validity) of the 

research supporting the policies or 

practices described, and provide useful 

recommendations based on the research 

that can be incorporated into the 

Center’s TA activities. These papers 

must be subject to external peer review. 

Topics for these papers may include, 

but are not limited to SEA, LEA, and 

school policies and practices that— 

(1) Support the effective 

implementation and scaling up of 

evidence-based practices (e.g., teaching 

employment skills using communitybased instruction, encouraging and 

facilitating self-directed IEPs, teaching 

parents and families about transition, 

and structuring programs to extend 

services beyond secondary school) at 

the local level in developing appropriate 

postsecondary goals and implementing 

transition services, including effective 

strategies for developing and sustaining 

interagency linkages and collaboration 

between secondary school systems and 

other systems such as: Institutions of 

higher education (e.g., two- and fouryear institutions), adult service agencies 

(e.g., vocational rehabilitation and 

workforce development systems), career 

and technical education systems, and 

other postsecondary training programs 

(e.g., Job Corps); 

(2) Improve postsecondary outcomes 

for students with disabilities across 

disability categories and severity levels, 

including particular subpopulations that 

tend to have the poorest postsecondary 

outcomes, such as individuals with 

emotional disturbance or intellectual 

disabilities and those from culturally 

and linguistically diverse backgrounds; 

and 

(3) Facilitate the participation and 

completion of students with disabilities 

in programs and initiatives designed to 

ensure college- and career-readiness 

(e.g., AP courses, dual high school and 

college enrollment programs, career and 

technical education, and work-based 

learning experiences). 

(b) Conduct an analysis of IDEA, Part 

B State APRs and other sources of 

information to determine the current 

status of the development of appropriate 

postsecondary goals and the 

implementation of transition services 

that support improved performance or 

create barriers to improved 

performance. 

Technical Assistance and Dissemination 

Activities 

(a) Provide a continuum of general TA 

and conduct dissemination activities 

(e.g., managing Web sites, listservs, and 

communities of practice; and holding 

conferences and training institutes) on 

implementing— 

(1) Evidence-based practices that help 

to improve the academic and functional 

achievement of students with 

disabilities, including particular 

subpopulations of students with 

disabilities that tend to have the poorest 

outcomes, and prepare them for college 

(or other postsecondary education and 

training) and the workforce; and 

(2) Policies and practices that 

facilitate the participation of students 

with disabilities in programs and 

initiatives designed to ensure collegeand career-readiness (e.g., AP courses, 

dual high school and college enrollment 

programs, career and technical 

education, and work-based learning 

experiences). 

(b) Maintain a Web site that meets 

government or industry-recognized 

standards for accessibility and that links 

to the Web site operated by the 

Technical Assistance Coordination 

Center (TACC). 

(c) Prepare and disseminate reports, 

documents, and other materials, 

including publications in peer-reviewed 

journals, on developing appropriate 

postsecondary goals and implementing 

transition services and related topics as 

requested by OSEP for specific 

audiences including students, teachers, 

educators, rehabilitation counselors, 

families, administrators, policymakers, 

and researchers. In consultation with 

the OSEP Project Officer, make selected 

reports, documents, and other materials 

available in both English and Spanish. 

(d) Develop materials and guidance 

for States and provide TA related to 

Indicator 13 on their APRs and SPPs, as 

requested by OSEP. 

(e) Improve data collection and 

reporting systems at the State and local 

level related to the development of 

postsecondary goals and 

implementation of transition services. 

(f) Host an annual national forum for 

researchers, policymakers, 

administrators, practitioners, and other 

appropriate stakeholders to exchange 

information on developing appropriate 

postsecondary goals and implementing 

transition services designed to prepare 

students with disabilities for college (or 

other postsecondary education and 

training) and the workforce. 

(g) Identify, in each year of the project 

period, a minimum of five States to 

receive intensive TA10 from the Center. 

The purpose of the intensive TA will be 

to assist these States in supporting 

effective implementation of evidencebased practices at the SEA, LEA, and 

school levels, and using effective 

methods to scale-up the use of evidencebased practices. The dissemination of 

the Center’s work (as described in 

paragraph (c) in Technical Assistance 

and Dissemination Activities) will 

enhance the capacity of all States to 

support their LEAs and schools in 

implementing and scaling up the use of 

evidence-based practices. 

In its application, an applicant must 

describe both the process and the 

selection criteria that the Center will use 

to identify the States that will receive 

the intensive TA. The Center must 

obtain approval from OSEP before 

finalizing the selection criteria and 

making the final selection of States that 

will receive intensive TA. Once a State 

is selected, the Center must work with 

that State for the entire project period. 

(The Center must identify a minimum of 

five States the first year of the project 

period and a minimum of five more 

States in each of the second and third 

years of the project period, so that by 


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the end of the project period, it is 

working with at least 15 States in total). 

The Center must provide each of these 

States with intensive TA in the State’s 

first year of working with the Center. In 

each subsequent year the Center will 

provide less intensive TA devoted to 

resolving any remaining TA needs of the 

State. The Center must perform a 

thorough analysis of the State’s needs 

and engage in frequent communication 

with the State to determine how these 

needs can be met. The needs 

assessments must be designed to 

identify the barriers that students with 

disabilities face in accessing not only 

the programs and initiatives designed to 

ensure college- and career-readiness but 

also the supports that are needed for 

successful implementation and 

sustainability of evidence-based 

practices in developing appropriate 

postsecondary goals and implementing 

effective transition services. After 

providing the first year of TA to the 

State, the Center must analyze the 

State’s Indicator 13 data (in conjunction 

with other relevant information) 

annually for the remaining project 

period to inform an assessment of the 

State’s need for any additional TA and 

to evaluate the impact of previous TA 

interventions. 

(h) Produce a summary of the results 

of the needs assessments conducted as 

a part of the intensive TA activities 

described in paragraph (g) of Technical 

Assistance and Dissemination 

Activities. 

Leadership and Coordination 

Activities. 

(a) Develop collaborative partnerships 

with business organizations that 

promote employment of individuals 

with disabilities, such as the U.S. 

Business Leadership Network and the 

National Business and Disability 

Council, to create and support the 

operation of a Youth to Work Coalition, 

which is a group of Federal agencies, 

businesses, and foundations that will 

conduct activities to expand work-based 

learning experiences for students with 

disabilities. The Center, through these 

partnerships, must— 

(1) Establish and coordinate a network 

of experts to provide TA to employers 

on establishing internships or mentoring 

programs for students with disabilities; 

and 

(2) Develop tools that are designed to 

assist employers and schools to support 

work-based learning experiences. 

(b) Compile and share data, as 

directed by OSEP, on States’ APRs and 

updated SPPs for Indicator 13 by— 

(1) Reviewing relevant sections of 

each State’s APR and updated SPP and 

summarizing the data on Indicator 13; 

(2) Developing a summary report for 

Indicator 13 that includes information 

about States’ progress in meeting targets 

for the indicator, as well as any 

revisions made to States’ monitoring 

and data systems, measurement 

systems, or improvement strategies; and 

(3) Providing this summary report to 

OSEP in a timely manner and 

participating in OSEP-requested 

teleconferences to discuss the findings 

of the summary report. 

(c) Establish and maintain an advisory 

committee to review the activities and 

outcomes of the Center and provide 

programmatic support and advice 

throughout the project period. At a 

minimum the advisory committee must 

convene annually, whether in person, 

by phone, or another means, and must 

represent the perspectives of 

individuals with disabilities or family 

members of students with disabilities, 

students, school-level transition 

specialists, State transition 

administrators, general education 

teachers or administrators, vocational 

rehabilitation counselors or 

administrators, postsecondary education 

disability service providers, adult 

service agencies, and other appropriate 

stakeholders. The Center must submit 

the names of proposed members of the 

advisory committee to OSEP for 

approval within eight weeks after 

receipt of the award. 

(d) Communicate and collaborate, on 

an ongoing basis, with other projects 

funded by the U.S. Department of 

Education, such as the National Dropout 

Prevention Center for Students with 

Disabilities, the National Post-school 

Outcomes Center, the National High 

School Center, the Regional Resource 

Centers, the IDEA Partnership Project, 

the Postsecondary Education Programs 

Network, the National Alliance 

Technical Assistance Center, the 

Technical Assistance on Transition and 

Rehabilitation Act Project, and the 

National Research Center for Career and 

Technical Education. This collaboration 

could include the joint development of 

products, the coordination of TA 

services, and the planning and carrying 

out of TA meetings and events. 

(e) Participate in, organize, or 

facilitate communities of practice that 

align with the needs of the Center’s 

target audience. Communities of 

practice should align with the Center’s 

objectives to support discussions and 

collaboration among key stakeholders. 

The following Web site provides more 

information on communities of practice: 

http://www.tadnet.org/communities. 

(f) Prior to developing any new 

product, submit a proposal for the 

product to the TACC database for 

approval from the OSEP Project Officer. 

The development of new products 

should be consistent with the product 

definition and guidelines posted on the 

TACC Web site (http://www.tadnet.org). 

(g) Contribute, on an ongoing basis, 

updated information on the Center’s 

approved and finalized products and 

services to the TACC database. 

(h) Coordinate with the National 

Dissemination Center for Individuals 

with Disabilities (http:// 

www.nichcy.org) to develop an efficient 

and high-quality dissemination strategy 

that reaches broad audiences. The 

Center must report to the OSEP Project 

Officer the outcomes of these 

coordination efforts. 

(i) Maintain ongoing communication 

with the OSEP Project Officer through 

monthly phone conversations and 

e-mail communication. 

References 

Adelman, C. (2006). The toolbox 

revisited: Paths to degree 

completion from high school 

through college. Washington, DC: 

U.S. Department of Education. 

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rschstat/research/pubs/

toolboxrevisit/toolbox.pdf. 

Alberto, P.A., Cihak, D.F., & Gama, R.I. 

(2005). Use of static picture 

prompts versus video modeling 

during simulation instruction. 

Research in Developmental 

Disabilities, 26, 327–339. 

Ayres, K.M., Langone, J., Boon, R.T., & 

Norman, A. (2006). Computer-based 

instruction for purchasing skills. 

Education and Training in 

Developmental Disabilities, 41, 

253–263. 

Bates, P.E., Cuvo, T., Miner, C.A., & 

Korabek, C.A. (2001). A simulated 

and community-based instruction 

involving persons with mild and 

moderate mental retardation. 

Research in Developmental 

Disabilities, 22, 95–115. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2009). 

Employment status and disability 

status, July 2009. Retrieved from 

http://www.bls.gov/sps/

spsdisability_072009.htm. 

Carter, E.W., Trainor, A.A., Cakiroglu, 

O., Cole O., Swedeen, B., Ditchman, 

N. & Owens, L. (2009). Exploring 

school-employer partnerships to 

expand career development and 

early work experiences for youth 

with disabilities. Career 

Development for Exceptional 

Individuals, 32(3), 145–161. 

Casner-Lotto, J. & Barrington, L. (2006). 

Are they really ready to work? The 

Conference Board. Retrieved from 

http://www.conference-board.org/


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Publications/publicationdetail.cfm?

publicationid=1276. 

Cihak, D.F., Alberto, P.A., Kessler, K., & 

Taber, T.A. (2004). An investigation 

of instructional scheduling 

arrangements for community based 

instruction. Research in 

Developmental Disabilities, 25, 67– 

88. 

Cobb, R.B. & Alwell, M. (2009). 

Transition planning/coordinating 

interventions for youth with 

disabilities: A systematic review. 

Career Development for Exceptional 

Individuals, 32, 70–81. 

College Board. (2010). The 6th Annual 

AP report to the nation. Retrieved 

from http://www.collegeboard.com/

html/aprtn/pdf/ap_report_to_the_

nation.pdf. 

Domzal, C., Houtenville, A., & Sharma, 

R. (2008). Survey of employer 

perspectives on the employment of 

people with disabilities: Technical 

report. (Prepared under contract to 

the Office of Disability and 

Employment Policy, U.S. 

Department of Labor). McLean, VA: 

CESSI. 

Fixsen, D.L., Blase, K.A., Horner, R., & 

Sugai, G. (2009). Intensive technical 

assistance. Scaling Up Brief #2. 

Chapel Hill: The University of 

North Carolina, FPG, SISEP. 

Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blase, K.A., 

Friedman, R.M. & Wallace, F. 

(2005). Implementation research: A 

synthesis of the literature. Tampa, 

FL: University of South Florida, 

Louis de la Parte Florida Mental 

Health Institute, The National 

Implementation Research Network 

(FMHI Publication #231). Retrieved 

from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/∼nirn/ 

resources/publications/Monograph/ 

index.cfm. 

Izzo, M.V., Cartledge, G., Miller, L., 

Growick, B., & Rutkowski, S. (2000). 

Increasing employment earnings: 

Extended transition services that 

make a difference. Career 

Development for Exceptional 

Individuals, 23, 139–156. 

Karp, M.M., Calcagno, J.C., Hughes, 

K.L., Jeong, D.W., Bailey, T.R., 

(2007). The postsecondary 

achievement of participants in dual 

enrollment: An analysis of student 

outcomes in two states. St. Paul, 

Minnesota: National Research 

Center for Career and Technical 

Education, University of Minnesota. 

Retrieved from http:// 

ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/

Publication.asp?UID=547. 

Kline, C., & Williams, E. (2007). 

Transitioning out of high school: A 

quick stats fact sheet. Washington, 

DC: National High School Center. 

Retrieved from http:// 

www.betterhighschools.org/docs/

NHSC_TransitionsOutFact

Sheet.pdf. 

Landmark, L.J., Ju, S., Zhang, D. (2010). 

Substantiated best practices in 

transition: Fifteen plus years later. 

Career Development for Exceptional 

Individuals, 33, 165–176. 

Lynn, I. & Mack, D. (2008). Multiple 

strategies for improving transition 

outcomes of youth with disabilities: 

Issue paper on increasing access to 

apprenticeship opportunities. 

Washington, DC Institute for 

Educational Leadership and 

HeiTech Services, Inc. Retrieved 

from http://www.dol.gov/odep/

categories/youth/apprenticeship/

ApprenticeshipIssuePaper.pdf. 

National Alliance for Secondary 

Education and Transition. (2005). 

National standards and quality 

indicators. Retrieved from http:// 

www.nasetalliance.org/about/

standards.htm. 

National Secondary Transition 

Technical Assistance Center (2009). 

Analysis of 2007–2008 state annual 

performance reports for indicator 

13. Retrieved from http:// 

www.nsttac.org/indicator13/State

Performance

ReportSummary2009.pdf. 

National Secondary Transition 

Technical Assistance Center (in 

press). Analysis of 2009–2010 state 

annual performance reports for 

indicator 13. Will be available at 

http://www.nsttac.org/. 

Newman, L., Wagner, M., Cameto, R., & 

Knokey, A.M. (2009). The post-high 

school outcomes of youth with 

disabilities up to 4 years after high 

school. A report of findings from 

the national longitudinal transition 

study-2 (NCSER 2009–3017). Menlo 

Park, CA: SRI International. 

Retrieved from http:// 

www.nlts2.org/reports/2010_09/

nlts2_report_2010_09_

complete.pdf. 

Pearson, D., Sawyer, J., Park, T., 

Santamaria, L., van der Mandele, S., 

Keene, B. & Taylor, M. (2010). 

Capitalizing on context: Curriculum 

integration in career and technical 

education. Louisville, KY: National 

Research Center for Career and 

Technical Education, University of 

Louisville. Retrieved from http:// 

www.nrccte.org/. 

Stone, J., Alfeld, C., Pearson, D., Lewis, 

M., & Jensen, S. (2006). Building 

academic skills in context: Testing 

the value of enhanced math 

learning in CTE (Final study). St. 

Paul, Minnesota National Research 

Center for Career and Technical 

Education. University of Minnesota. 

Retrieved from http:// 

www.nrccte.org/. 

Symonds, W.C., Schwartz, R.B., & 

Ferguson, R. (2011). Pathways to 

prosperity: Meeting the challenge of 

preparing young Americans for the 

21st century. Report issued by the 

Pathways to Prosperity Project, 

Harvard Graduate School of 

Education. Retrieved from http:// 

www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/

features/2011/Pathways_to_

Prosperity_Feb2011.pdf. 

Test, D., Fowler, C., Richter, S.M., 

White, J., Mazzotti, V., Walker, 

A.R., Kohler, P., & Kortering, L. 

(2009). Evidence-based practices in 

secondary transition. Career 

Development for Exceptional 

Individuals, 32(2), 115–128. 

Test, D., Mazzotti, V., Mustian, A., 

Fowler, C., Kortering, L., & Kohler, 

P. (2009). Evidence-based 

secondary transition predictors for 

improving post-school outcomes for 

students with disabilities. Career 

Development for Exceptional 

Individuals, 32(3), 160–181. 

Tierney, W.G., Bailey, T., Constantine, 

J., Finkelstein, N., & Hurd, N.F. 

(2009). Helping students navigate 

the path to college: What high 

schools can do: A practice guide 

(NCEE #2009–4066). Washington, 

DC: National Center for Education 

Evaluation and Regional Assistance, 

Institute of Education Sciences, 

U.S. Department of Education. 

Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/

ncee/wwc/publications/

practiceguides/. 

U.S. Department of Education, National 

Center for Education Statistics. 

(2004). The condition of education 

2004 (NCES 2004–077). 

Washington, DC: U.S. Government 

Printing Office. Retrieved from 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2004/ 

2004077.pdf. 

Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R., 

and Levine, P. (2006). The 

academic achievement and 

functional performance of youth 

with disabilities: A report from the 

national longitudinal transition 

study-2 (NLTS2). (NCSER 2006– 

3000). Menlo Park, CA: SRI 

International. Retrieved from http:// 

www.nlts2.org/reports/2006_07/

nlts2_report_2006_07_ 

complete.pdf. 

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: 

Under the Administrative Procedure Act 

(APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department 

generally offers interested parties the 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

priorities and requirements. Section 


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681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the 

public comment requirements of the 

APA inapplicable to the priority in this 

notice. 

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1463 and 

1481. 

Applicable Regulations: The 

Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 

34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 

84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. 

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 

apply to all applicants except federally 

recognized Indian tribes. 

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 

apply to institutions of higher education 

(IHEs) only. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

agreement. 

Estimated Available Funds: 

$1,100,000. 

Maximum Awards: We will reject any 

application that proposes a budget 

exceeding $1,100,000 for a single budget 

period of 12 months. The Assistant 

Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services may change the 

maximum amount through a notice 

published in the Federal Register. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 1. 

Note: The Department is not bound by any 

estimates in this notice. 

Project Period: Up to 36 months. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs, 

including public charter schools that are 

considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; 

other public agencies; private nonprofit 

organizations; outlying areas; freely 

associated States; Indian tribes or tribal 

organizations; and for-profit 

organizations. 

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This 

competition does not require cost 

sharing or matching. 

3. Other: General Requirements—(a) 

The projects funded under this 

competition must make positive efforts 

to employ and advance in employment 

qualified individuals with disabilities 

(see section 606 of IDEA). 

(b) Applicants and grant recipients 

funded under this competition must 

involve individuals with disabilities or 

parents of individuals with disabilities 

ages birth through 26 in planning, 

implementing, and evaluating the 

project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of 

IDEA). 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Address to Request Application 

Package: You can obtain an application 

package via the Internet, from the 

Education Publications Center (ED 

Pubs), or from the program office. 

To obtain a copy via the Internet, use 

the following address: http:// 

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

grantapps/index.html. 

To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, 

fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S. 

Department of Education, P.O. Box 

22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. 

Telephone, toll free: 1–877–433–7827. 

Fax: (703) 605–6794. If you use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD), call, toll free: 1–877–576–7734. 

You can contact ED Pubs at its Web 

site, also: http://www.EDPubs.gov or at 

its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov. 

If you request an application package 

from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this 

program or competition as follows: 

CFDA number 84.326J. 

To obtain a copy from the program 

office, contact the person listed under 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in 

section VII of this notice. 

Individuals with disabilities can 

obtain a copy of the application package 

in an accessible format (e.g., braille, 

large print, audiotape, or computer 

diskette) by contacting the person or 

team listed under Accessible Format in 

section VIII of this notice. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission: Requirements concerning 

the content of an application, together 

with the forms you must submit, are in 

the application package for this 

competition. 

Page Limit: The application narrative 

(Part III of the application) is where you, 

the applicant, address the selection 

criteria that reviewers use to evaluate 

your application. You must limit the 

application narrative to the equivalent 

of no more than 70 pages, using the 

following standards: 

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

only, with 1’’ margins at the top, 

bottom, and both sides. 

• Double space (no more than three 

lines per vertical inch) all text in the 

application narrative, including titles, 

headings, footnotes, quotations, 

references, and captions. 

• Use a font that is either 12 point or 

larger or no smaller than 10 pitch 

(characters per inch). 

• Use one of the following fonts: 

Times New Roman, Courier, Courier 

New, or Arial. An application submitted 

in any other font (including Times 

Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be 

accepted. 

The page limit does not apply to Part 

I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget 

section, including the narrative budget 

justification; Part IV, the assurances and 

certifications; or the one-page abstract, 

the resumes, the bibliography, the 

references, or the letters of support. 

However, the page limit does apply to 

all of the application narrative section 

(Part III). 

We will reject your application if you 

exceed the page limit. 

3. Submission Dates and Times: 

Applications Available: August 9, 

2011. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: September 8, 2011. 

Applications for grants under this 

competition may be submitted 

electronically using the Grants.gov 

Apply site, or in paper format by mail 

or hand delivery. For information 

(including dates and times) about how 

to submit your application 

electronically, or in paper format by 

mail or hand delivery, please refer to 

section IV.7. Other Submission 

Requirements of this notice. 

We do not consider an application 

that does not comply with the deadline 

requirements. 

Individuals with disabilities who 

need an accommodation or auxiliary aid 

in connection with the application 

process should contact the person listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT in section VII of this notice. If 

the Department provides an 

accommodation or auxiliary aid to an 

individual with a disability in 

connection with the application 

process, the individual’s application 

remains subject to all other 

requirements and limitations in this 

notice. 

4. Intergovernmental Review: This 

competition is subject to Executive 

Order 12372 and the regulations in 

34 CFR part 79. Information about 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs under Executive Order 12372 

is in the application package for this 

competition. 

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference 

regulations outlining funding 

restrictions in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

6. Data Universal Numbering System 

Number, Taxpayer Identification 

Number, and Central Contractor 

Registry: To do business with the 

Department of Education, you must— 

a. Have a Data Universal Numbering 

System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer 

Identification Number (TIN); 

b. Register both your DUNS number 

and TIN with the Central Contractor 

Registry (CCR), the Government’s 

primary registrant database; 

c. Provide your DUNS number and 

TIN on your application; and 

d. Maintain an active CCR registration 

with current information while your 

application is under review by the 


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Department and, if you are awarded a 

grant, during the project period. 

You can obtain a DUNS number from 

Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 

can be created within one business day. 

If you are a corporate entity, agency, 

institution, or organization, you can 

obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue 

Service. If you are an individual, you 

can obtain a TIN from the Internal 

Revenue Service or the Social Security 

Administration. If you need a new TIN, 

please allow 2–5 weeks for your TIN to 

become active. 

The CCR registration process may take 

five or more business days to complete. 

If you are currently registered with the 

CCR, you may not need to make any 

changes. However, please make certain 

that the TIN associated with your DUNS 

number is correct. Also note that you 

will need to update your CCR 

registration on an annual basis. This 

may take three or more business days to 

complete. 

In addition, if you are submitting your 

application via Grants.gov, you must (1) 

Be designated by your organization as 

an Authorized Organization 

Representative (AOR); and (2) register 

yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. 

Details on these steps are outlined at the 

following Grants.gov Web page: http:// 

www.Grants.gov/applicants/ 

get_registered.jsp. 

7. Other Submission Requirements: 

Applications for grants under this 

competition may be submitted 

electronically or in paper format by mail 

or hand delivery. 

a. Electronic Submission of 

Applications. 

We are participating as a partner in 

the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply 

site. The Transition to College and 

Careers Center competition, CFDA 

number 84.326J, is included in this 

project. We request your participation in 

Grants.gov. 

If you choose to submit your 

application electronically, you must use 

the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply 

site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through 

this site, you will be able to download 

a copy of the application package, 

complete it offline, and then upload and 

submit your application. You may not 

e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 

application to us. 

You may access the electronic grant 

application for the Transition to College 

and Careers Center competition at 

http://www.Grants.gov. You must search 

for the downloadable application 

package for this program by the CFDA 

number. Do not include the CFDA 

number’s alpha suffix in your search 

(e.g., search for 84.326, not 84.326J). 

Please note the following: 

• Your participation in Grants.gov is 

voluntary. 

• When you enter the Grants.gov site, 

you will find information about 

submitting an application electronically 

through the site, as well as the hours of 

operation. 

• Applications received by 

Grants.gov are date and time stamped. 

Your application must be fully 

uploaded and submitted and must be 

date and time stamped by the 

Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 

p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 

application deadline date. Except as 

otherwise noted in this section, we will 

not accept your application if it is 

received—that is, date and time 

stamped by the Grants.gov system—after 

4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on 

the application deadline date. We do 

not consider an application that does 

not comply with the deadline 

requirements. When we retrieve your 

application from Grants.gov, we will 

notify you if we are rejecting your 

application because it was date and time 

stamped by the Grants.gov system after 

4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on 

the application deadline date. 

• The amount of time it can take to 

upload an application will vary 

depending on a variety of factors, 

including the size of the application and 

the speed of your Internet connection. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend that 

you do not wait until the application 

deadline date to begin the submission 

process through Grants.gov. 

• You should review and follow the 

Education Submission Procedures for 

submitting an application through 

Grants.gov that are included in the 

application package for this competition 

to ensure that you submit your 

application in a timely manner to the 

Grants.gov system. You can also find the 

Education Submission Procedures 

pertaining to Grants.gov under News 

and Events on the Department’s G5 

system home page at http://www.G5.gov. 

• You will not receive additional 

point value because you submit your 

application in electronic format, nor 

will we penalize you if you submit your 

application in paper format. 

• If you submit your application 

electronically, you must submit all 

documents electronically, including all 

information you typically provide on 

the following forms: The Application for 

Federal Assistance (SF 424), the 

Department of Education Supplemental 

Information for SF 424, Budget 

Information—Non-Construction 

Programs (ED 524), and all necessary 

assurances and certifications. 

• If you submit your application 

electronically, you must attach any 

narrative sections of your application as 

files in a .PDF (Portable Document) 

format only. If you upload a file type 

other than a .PDF or submit a passwordprotected file, we will not review that 

material. 

• Your electronic application must 

comply with any page-limit 

requirements described in this notice. 

• After you electronically submit 

your application, you will receive from 

Grants.gov an automatic notification of 

receipt that contains a Grants.gov 

tracking number. (This notification 

indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not 

receipt by the Department.) The 

Department then will retrieve your 

application from Grants.gov and send a 

second notification to you by e-mail. 

This second notification indicates that 

the Department has received your 

application and has assigned your 

application a PR/Award number (an EDspecified identifying number unique to 

your application). 

• We may request that you provide us 

original signatures on forms at a later 

date. Application Deadline Date 

Extension in Case of Technical Issues 

With the Grants.gov System: If you are 

experiencing problems submitting your 

application through Grants.gov, please 

contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, 

toll free, at 1–800–518–4726. You must 

obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case 

Number and must keep a record of it. 

If you are prevented from 

electronically submitting your 

application on the application deadline 

date because of technical problems with 

the Grants.gov system, we will grant you 

an extension until 4:30:00 p.m., 

Washington, DC time, the following 

business day to enable you to transmit 

your application electronically or by 

hand delivery. You also may mail your 

application by following the mailing 

instructions described elsewhere in this 

notice. 

If you submit an application after 

4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on 

the application deadline date, please 

contact the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in 

section VII of this notice and provide an 

explanation of the technical problem 

you experienced with Grants.gov, along 

with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case 

Number. We will accept your 

application if we can confirm that a 

technical problem occurred with the 

Grants.gov system and that that problem 

affected your ability to submit your 

application by 4:30:00 p.m., 

Washington, DC time, on the 

application deadline date. The 

Department will contact you after a 

determination is made on whether your 

application will be accepted. 


sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
48830 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 153 / Tuesday, August 9, 2011 / Notices 

Note: The extensions to which we refer in 

this section apply only to the unavailability 

of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov 

system. We will not grant you an extension 

if you failed to fully register to submit your 

application to Grants.gov before the 

application deadline date and time or if the 

technical problem you experienced is 

unrelated to the Grants.gov system. 

b. Submission of Paper Applications 

by Mail. 

If you submit your application in 

paper format by mail (through the U.S. 

Postal Service or a commercial carrier), 

you must mail the original and two 

copies of your application, on or before 

the application deadline date, to the 

Department at the following address: 

U.S. Department of Education, 

Application Control Center, Attention: 

(CFDA Number 84.326J), LBJ Basement 

Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20202–4260. 

You must show proof of mailing 

consisting of one of the following: 

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service 

postmark. 

(2) A legible mail receipt with the 

date of mailing stamped by the U.S. 

Postal Service. 

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or 

receipt from a commercial carrier. 

(4) Any other proof of mailing 

acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. 

Department of Education. 

If you mail your application through 

the U.S. Postal Service, we do not 

accept either of the following as proof 

of mailing: 

(1) A private metered postmark. 

(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by 

the U.S. Postal Service. 

If your application is postmarked after 

the application deadline date, we will 

not consider your application. 

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not 

uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before 

relying on this method, you should check 

with your local post office. 

c. Submission of Paper Applications 

by Hand Delivery. 

If you submit your application in 

paper format by hand delivery, you (or 

a courier service) must deliver the 

original and two copies of your 

application by hand, on or before the 

application deadline date, to the 

Department at the following address: 

U.S. Department of Education, 

Application Control Center, Attention: 

(CFDA Number 84.326J), 550 12th 

Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 

Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–4260. 

The Application Control Center 

accepts hand deliveries daily between 

8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, 

DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, 

and Federal holidays. Note for Mail or 

Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If 

you mail or hand deliver your 

application to the Department— 

(1) You must indicate on the envelope 

and—if not provided by the 

Department—in Item 11 of the SF 424 

the CFDA number, including suffix 

letter, if any, of the competition under 

which you are submitting your 

application; and 

(2) The Application Control Center 

will mail to you a notification of receipt 

of your grant application. If you do not 

receive this notification within 15 

business days from the application 

deadline date, you should call the U.S. 

Department of Education Application 

Control Center at (202) 245–6288. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection 

criteria for this competition are from 34 

CFR 75.210 and are listed in the 

application package. 

2. Review and Selection Process: We 

remind potential applicants that in 

reviewing applications in any 

discretionary grant competition, the 

Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 

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

applicant in carrying out a previous 

award, such as the applicant’s use of 

funds, achievement of project 

objectives, and compliance with grant 

conditions. The Secretary may also 

consider whether the applicant failed to 

submit a timely performance report or 

submitted a report of unacceptable 

quality. 

In addition, in making a competitive 

grant award, the Secretary also requires 

various assurances including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department of 

Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 

108.8, and 110.23). 

3. Additional Review and Selection 

Process Factors: In the past, the 

Department has had difficulty finding 

peer reviewers for certain competitions 

because so many individuals who are 

eligible to serve as peer reviewers have 

conflicts of interest. The Standing Panel 

requirements under section 682(b) of the 

IDEA also have placed additional 

constraints on the availability of 

reviewers. Therefore, the Department 

has determined that for some 

discretionary grant competitions, 

applications may be separated into two 

or more groups and ranked and selected 

for funding within the specific groups. 

This procedure will make it easier for 

the Department to find peer reviewers 

by ensuring that greater numbers of 

individuals who are eligible to serve as 

reviewers for any particular group of 

applicants will not have conflicts of 

interest. It also will increase the quality, 

independence, and fairness of the 

review process, while permitting panel 

members to review applications under 

discretionary grant competitions for 

which they also have submitted 

applications. However, if the 

Department decides to select an equal 

number of applications in each group 

for funding, this may result in different 

cut-off points for fundable applications 

in each group. 

4. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 

74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary may 

impose special conditions on a grant if 

the applicant or grantee is not 

financially stable; has a history of 

unsatisfactory performance; has a 

financial or other management system 

that does not meet the standards in 34 

CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has 

not fulfilled the conditions of a prior 

grant; or is otherwise not responsible. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

1. Award Notices: If your application 

is successful, we notify your U.S. 

Representative and U.S. Senators and 

send you a Grant Award Notification 

(GAN). We may notify you informally, 

also. 

If your application is not evaluated or 

not selected for funding, we notify you. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: We identify 

administrative and national policy 

requirements in the application package 

and reference these and other 

requirements in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

We reference the regulations outlining 

the terms and conditions of an award in 

the Applicable Regulations section of 

this notice and include these and other 

specific conditions in the GAN. The 

GAN also incorporates your approved 

application as part of your binding 

commitments under the grant. 

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

grant under this competition, you must 

ensure that you have in place the 

necessary processes and systems to 

comply with the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive 

funding under the competition. This 

does not apply if you have an exception 

under 2 CFR 170.110(b). 

(b) At the end of your project period, 

you must submit a final performance 

report, including financial information, 

as directed by the Secretary. If you 

receive a multi-year award, you must 

submit an annual performance report 

that provides the most current 

performance and financial expenditure 

information as directed by the Secretary 

under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary 

may also require more frequent 

performance reports under 34 CFR 


sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 153 / Tuesday, August 9, 2011 / Notices 48831 

75.720(c). For specific requirements on 

reporting, please go to http:// 

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

appforms/appforms.html. 

4. Performance Measures: Under the 

Government Performance and Results 

Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has 

established a set of performance 

measures, including long-term 

measures, that are designed to yield 

information on various aspects of the 

effectiveness and quality of the 

Technical Assistance and Dissemination 

to Improve Services and Results for 

Children with Disabilities program. 

These measures focus on the extent to 

which projects provide high-quality 

products and services, the relevance of 

project products and services to 

educational and early intervention 

policy and practice, and the use of 

products and services to improve 

educational and early intervention 

policy and practice. 

Grantees will be required to report 

information on their project’s 

performance in annual reports to the 

Department (34 CFR 75.590). 

5. Continuation Awards: In making a 

continuation award, the Secretary may 

consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the 

extent to which a grantee has made 

‘‘substantial progress toward meeting 

the objectives in its approved 

application.’’ This consideration 

includes the review of a grantee’s 

progress in meeting the targets and 

projected outcomes in its approved 

application, and whether the grantee 

has expended funds in a manner that is 

consistent with its approved application 

and budget. In making a continuation 

grant, the Secretary also considers 

whether the grantee is operating in 

compliance with the assurances in its 

approved application, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department (34 CFR 

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

VII. Agency Contact 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael F. Slade, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 4083, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), 

Washington, DC 20202–2550. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7527. 

If you use a TDD, call the Federal 

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

877–8339. 

VIII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: Individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document 

and a copy of the application package in 

an accessible format (e.g., braille, large 

print, audiotape, or computer diskette) 

by contacting the Grants and Contracts 

Services Team, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 

20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245– 

7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll 

free, at 1–800–877–8339. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

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 via the Federal Digital System 

at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this 

site you can view this document, as well 

as all other documents of this 

Department published in the Federal 

Register, in text or Adobe Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at: http:// 

www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, 

through the advanced search feature at 

this site, you can limit your search to 

documents published by the 

Department. 

Dated: August 4, 2011. 

Alexa Posny, 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20184 Filed 8–8–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Arbitration Panel Decision Under the 

Randolph-Sheppard Act 

AGENCY: Department of Education. 

ACTION: Notice of arbitration panel 

decisions under the Randolph-Sheppard 

Act. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) gives notice that on May 3, 

2010, and April 19, 2011, an arbitration 

panel rendered decisions in the matter 

of Art Stevenson v. Oregon Commission 

for the Blind, Case no. R–S/07–4. This 

panel was convened by the Department 

under 20 U.S.C. 107d–1(a), after the 

Department received a complaint filed 

by the petitioner, Art Stevenson. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You 

may obtain a copy of the full text of the 

arbitration panel decisions from Suzette 

E. Haynes, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Room 5022, Potomac Center Plaza, 

Washington, DC 20202–2800. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7374. If you use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD), call the Federal Relay Service 

(FRS), toll-free, at 1–800–877–8339. 

Individuals with disabilities can 

obtain this document in an accessible 

format (e.g., braille, large print, 

audiotape, or computer diskette) on 

request to the contact person listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 

section 6(c) of the Randolph-Sheppard 

Act (Act), 20 U.S.C. 107d–2(c), the 

Secretary publishes in the Federal 

Register a synopsis of each arbitration 

panel decision affecting the 

administration of vending facilities on 

Federal and other property. 

Background 

Art Stevenson (Complainant) alleged 

that the Oregon Commission for the 

Blind, the State licensing agency (SLA), 

violated the Act and its implementing 

regulations in 34 CFR part 395. 

Specifically, Complainant alleged that 

the SLA improperly administered the 

transfer and promotion policies and 

procedures of the Oregon RandolphSheppard Vending Facility Program in 

violation of the Act, implementing 

regulations under the Act, and State 

rules and regulations in Complainant’s 

bid to manage the Marion County 

vending route comprised of vending 

machines at the Oregon Department of 

Public Safety Standards and Training 

(DPSST). 

On May 1, 2006, the SLA issued a 

vacancy announcement for the DPSST 

vending route. While the posting did 

not indicate that the DPSST campus 

would be closed, i.e., that trainees 

would not be permitted to return home 

on weekends, the SLA communicated 

this information at an early May 

meeting with the Blind Enterprise 

Consumer Committee, of which 

Complainant was a member. On May 20, 

2006, the SLA informed Complainant 

that his bid had been accepted. On July 

27, 2006, Complainant signed a vendor’s 

operating agreement with the SLA to 

manage the DPSST vending route. 

Subsequently, on August 1, 2006, 

Complainant informed the SLA that he 

would continue to operate his current 

vending route in Multnomah County 

(Multnomah) until September 30, 2006. 

On August 10, 2006, staff of the SLA 

informed Complainant that the 

Multnomah vending route was being 

put out to bid. On August 22, 2006, a 

vacancy announcement was sent to all 

eligible vendors. Another vendor 

submitted the only bid for the 

Multnomah vending route and he was 

awarded the Multnomah vending route 

contract on September 6, 2006. 


sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES