This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

27868 

Vol. 80, No. 94 

Friday, May 15, 2015 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

34 CFR Chapter III 

[Docket ID ED–2015–OSERS–0034] 

Proposed Priority—Rehabilitation 

Training: Vocational Rehabilitation 

Technical Assistance Center—Youth 

With Disabilities 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Proposed priority. 

[CFDA Number: 84.264H.] 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for 

Special Education and Rehabilitative 

Services proposes a priority under the 

Rehabilitation Training program. The 

Assistant Secretary may use this priority 

for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2015 

and later years. This priority is designed 

to ensure that professionals working in 

State vocational rehabilitation (VR) 

agencies receive the technical assistance 

they need to provide youth with 

disabilities with services and supports 

that lead to postsecondary education 

and competitive integrated employment. 

DATES: We must receive your comments 

on or before June 15, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments 

through the Federal eRulemaking Portal 

or via postal mail, commercial delivery, 

or hand delivery. We will not accept 

comments submitted by fax or by email 

or those submitted after the comment 

period. To ensure that we do not receive 

duplicate copies, please submit your 

comments only once. In addition, please 

include the Docket ID at the top of your 

comments. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov to submit your 

comments electronically. Information 

on using Regulations.gov, including 

instructions for accessing agency 

documents, submitting comments, and 

viewing the docket, is available on the 

site under ‘‘Are you new to the site?’’ 

• Postal Mail, Commercial Delivery, 

or Hand Delivery: If you mail or deliver 

your comments about these proposed 

regulations, address them to Tara 

Jordan, U.S. Department of Education, 

400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5040, 

Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), 

Washington, DC 20202–2800. 

Privacy Note: The Department’s policy is 

to make all comments received from 

members of the public available for public 

viewing in their entirety on the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. 

Therefore, commenters should be careful to 

include in their comments only information 

that they wish to make publicly available. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara 

Jordan. Telephone: (202) 245–7341 or by 

email: tara.jordan@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay 

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

8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Invitation to Comment: We invite you 

to submit comments regarding this 

notice. To ensure that your comments 

have maximum effect in developing the 

notice of final priority, we urge you to 

identify clearly the specific section of 

the proposed priority that each 

comment addresses. 

We invite you to assist us in 

complying with the specific 

requirements of Executive Orders 12866 

and 13563 and their overall requirement 

of reducing regulatory burden that 

might result from this proposed priority. 

Please let us know of any further ways 

we could reduce potential costs or 

increase potential benefits while 

preserving the effective and efficient 

administration of the program. 

During and after the comment period, 

you may inspect all public comments 

about these proposed regulations by 

accessing Regulations.gov. You may also 

inspect the comments in person in room 

5040, 550 12th Street SW., PCP, 

Washington, DC, 20202–2800, between 

the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., 

Washington, DC time, Monday through 

Friday of each week except Federal 

holidays. Please contact the person 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

Assistance to Individuals with 

Disabilities in Reviewing the 

Rulemaking Record: On request we will 

provide an appropriate accommodation 

or auxiliary aid to an individual with a 

disability who needs assistance to 

review the comments or other 

documents in the public rulemaking 

record for this notice. If you want to 

schedule an appointment for this type of 

accommodation or auxiliary aid, please 

contact the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

Purpose of Program: Under the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 

(Rehabilitation Act), as amended by the 

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 

Act (WIOA), the Rehabilitation Services 

Administration makes grants to States 

and public or nonprofit agencies and 

organizations (including institutions of 

higher education) to support projects 

that provide training, traineeships, and 

technical assistance designed to 

increase the numbers of, and improve 

the skills of, qualified personnel 

(especially rehabilitation counselors) 

who are trained to: provide vocational, 

medical, social, and psychological 

rehabilitation services to individuals 

with disabilities; assist individuals with 

communication and related disorders; 

and provide other services authorized 

under the Rehabilitation Act. 

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772(a)(1). 

Applicable Program Regulations: 34 

CFR part 385. 

Proposed Priority: 

This notice contains one proposed 

priority. 

Vocational Rehabilitation Technical 

Assistance Center—Youth with 

Disabilities (VRTAC–Y). 

Background: 

State vocational rehabilitation (VR) 

agencies provide employment-related 

services to students and youth with 

disabilities in order to facilitate a 

smooth transition from school to postschool activities and to assist them in 

obtaining the training and skills they 

need to achieve competitive integrated 

employment. The Workforce Innovation 

and Opportunity Act (WIOA) amended 

the Rehabilitation Act by expanding the 

kinds of services that State VR agencies 

may provide to students and youth with 

disabilities and adding definitions of the 

terms ‘‘student with a disability’’ and 

‘‘youth with a disability’’. 

The new definition for ‘‘student with 

a disability’’ at section 7(37)(A) of the 

Rehabilitation Act, as amended by 

WIOA, renumbered here for ease of 

reading, is an individual with a 

disability who— 

(a)(1)(i) is not younger than the 

earliest age for the provision of 

transition services under section 


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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 2015 / Proposed Rules 27869 

614(d)(1)(A)(i)(VIII) of the Individuals 

with Disabilities Education Act (20 

U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(VIII); or 

(ii) if the State involved elects to use 

a lower minimum age for receipt of preemployment transition services under 

this Act, is not younger than that 

minimum age; and 

(2)(i) is not older than 21 years of age; 

or 

(ii) if the State law for the State 

provides for a higher maximum age for 

receipt of services under the Individuals 

with Disabilities Education Act (20 

U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), is not older than 

that maximum age; and 

(b)(1) is eligible for, and receiving, 

special education or related services 

under Part B of the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 

1411 et seq.); or 

(2) is an individual with a disability, 

for purposes of section 504. 

The new definition for ‘‘youth with a 

disability’’ at section 7(42)(A) of the 

Rehabilitation Act, as amended by 

WIOA, also renumbered here for ease of 

reading, is an individual with a 

disability who (a) is not younger than 14 

years of age; (b) is not older than 24 

years of age. 

Historically, State VR agencies have 

had difficulty in locating and serving 

students with disabilities who are not 

served under the IDEA and youth with 

disabilities who are no longer in school. 

Therefore, the proposed Vocational 

Rehabilitation Technical Assistance 

Center for Youth with Disabilities 

(VRTAC–Y) would focus on providing 

technical assistance to State VR agencies 

on locating and serving students with 

disabilities not served under the IDEA 

and youth with disabilities who are not 

enrolled in school and who are not 

employed. Additionally, the National 

Technical Assistance Center on 

Transition, jointly funded by the Office 

of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 

and the Rehabilitation Services 

Administration (RSA), already provides 

technical assistance on the provision of 

transition services to students who are 

served under the IDEA. 

The difficulty in locating and serving 

students with disabilities who are not 

served under the IDEA arises because 

these students usually do not have a 

lead teacher or advocate in the school 

system with the responsibility to 

facilitate the connection of students 

with disabilities to VR or to other 

services in the community. Without 

these connections, students may not 

obtain the necessary services and 

supports they need to be successful in 

education and training programs or 

competitive integrated employment 

after exiting high school. 

Similarly, youth with disabilities who 

are not enrolled in school are usually 

not connected to the local adult service 

systems and, as a consequence, are not 

referred to the State VR agency for 

transition services or to other programs 

and services they may need. In 

particular, youth with disabilities who 

are high school dropouts, exiting the 

foster care system, or juvenile offenders 

are at high risk for not transitioning into 

successful and economically selfsufficient adult lives, and the 

consequences of this failure are 

considerable. Students with disabilities, 

particularly students with emotional or 

behavioral disabilities and learning 

disabilities, are at greater risk for 

dropping out of school (Lehr, et al. 

2004). Youth with disabilities who drop 

out of high school experience 

substantial economic and social 

problems, including unemployment, 

poverty, homelessness, and 

incarceration. In addition, youth with 

disabilities who age out of the foster 

care system or are exiting correctional 

facilities often have multiple needs and 

may face additional challenges in 

connecting to appropriate community 

services and supports. 

There are a number of promising and 

innovative practices aimed at assisting 

students and youth with disabilities to 

succeed in transitioning to adulthood, 

particularly education and competitive 

integrated employment, which are 

useful to State VR agencies. ‘‘Guideposts 

for Success’’ is a comprehensive 

resource of such practices focusing on 

the needs of youth with disabilities and 

vulnerable populations, such as youth 

in foster care and youth involved or at 

risk of becoming involved in the 

juvenile justice system (see http://

www.ncwd-youth.info/topic/

guideposts). Early transition planning, 

information about career options and 

exposure to the world of work, 

including structured internships, the 

involvement of family members, and/or 

other caring adults can assist students 

and youth with disabilities to meet the 

challenges they face and may lead to 

better post-school outcomes. Students 

with disabilities who are engaged in 

courses that they choose and that they 

believe will prepare them for life, 

including career technical and 

cooperative education classes, are less 

likely to drop out (Dunn, Chambers and 

Rabren, 2004). 

In addition, collaboration among State 

educational agencies (SEAs), local 

educational agencies (LEAs), State VR 

agencies, and other service providers 

helps to ensure the delivery of 

coordinated transition services. 

(Landmark, et al., 2010; National 

Council on Disability, 2008). Systems 

coordination promotes easier access to 

services for students and youth with 

disabilities and strengthens results and 

accountability leading to more positive 

outcomes (Russ and Fryar 2014). 

The proposed VRTAC–Y would 

provide training and technical 

assistance to State VR agencies to assist 

them in identifying and serving students 

and youth with disabilities; designing 

and implementing collaborative and 

integrative approaches to serving 

students and youth with disabilities; 

and strengthening and expanding 

coordination of services to students and 

youth with disabilities, particularly 

those not served under the IDEA. 

References: 

Dunn, C., Chambers, D. and Rabren, K. 

(2004). Variables Affecting Students’ 

Decision to Drop Out of School. Remedial 

and Special Education, 25, 314. 

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

Substantiated Best Practices in Transition: 

Fifteen Plus Years Later. Career 

Development for Exceptional Individuals, 

33(3). 

Lehr, C.A., Johnson, D.R., Bremer, C.D., 

Cosio, A., & Thompson, M. (2004). 

Essential tools: Increasing rates of school 

completion: Moving from policy and 

research to practice. Minneapolis, MN: 

University of Minnesota, Institute on 

Community Integration, National Center on 

Secondary Education and Transition. 

National Council on Disability (2008). The 

Rehabilitation Act: Outcomes for 

Transition-Age Youth. Retrieved from: 

http://www.ncd.gov/policy/employment. 

Russ, E. and Fryar, G. (December 2014). 

Creating Access to Opportunities for Youth 

in Transition from Foster Care: An AYPF 

Policy Brief. American Youth Policy 

Forum. 

Proposed Priority: 

The purpose of this proposed priority 

is to fund a cooperative agreement to 

establish a Vocational Rehabilitation 

Technical Assistance Center—Youth 

with Disabilities (VRTAC–Y). The focus 

of this proposed priority is to provide 

technical assistance (TA) to State 

vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies 

to improve services to and outcomes of: 

(1) students with disabilities, as defined 

in section 7(37) of the Rehabilitation 

Act, who are in school and who are not 

receiving services under the IDEA; and 

(2) youth with disabilities, as defined in 

section 7(42) of the Rehabilitation Act, 

who are no longer in school and who 

are not employed. For purposes of this 

priority, ‘‘Students and youth with 

disabilities’’ refers to these two groups. 

The VRTAC–Y is designed to achieve, 

at a minimum, the following outcomes: 

(a) Assist State VR agencies to identify 

and meet the VR needs of students and 

youth with disabilities consistent with 


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27870 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

1For the purposes of this proposed priority, 

‘‘intensive TA’’ means TA services often provided 

on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship 

between the TA Center staff and the TA recipient. 

‘‘TA services’’ are defined as a negotiated series of 

activities designed to reach a valued outcome. 

Intensive TA should result in changes to policy, 

programs, practices, or operations that support 

increased recipient capacity or improved outcomes 

at one or more systems levels. 

section 101(a)(15) of the Rehabilitation 

Act; 

(b) Improve the ability of State VR 

agencies to develop partnerships with 

State and local agencies, service 

providers, or other entities to ensure 

that students and youth with disabilities 

are referred for VR services and have 

access to coordinated supports, services, 

training, and employment 

opportunities, including: (1) increasing 

the number of referrals and applications 

received by State VR agencies from 

agencies, service providers and others 

serving students and youth with 

disabilities; and (2) increasing the 

number of students and youth with 

disabilities receiving VR services; 

(c) Improve the ability of VR 

personnel to develop individualized 

plans for employment that ensure the 

successful transition of students and 

youth with disabilities and the 

achievement of post-school goals; and 

(d) Increase the number of students 

and youth with disabilities served by 

VR agencies (particularly dropouts, 

foster care youth and youth involved in 

the correctional system) who are 

engaged in education and training 

programs leading to the attainment of 

postsecondary skills and credentials 

needed for employment in high-demand 

occupations. 

Topic Areas 

Under this proposed priority, the 

VRTAC–Y must develop and provide 

training and TA to State VR agency staff 

and related rehabilitation professionals 

and service providers in the following 

topic areas: 

(a) Developing and maintaining 

formal and informal partnerships and 

relationships with relevant stakeholders 

(including, but not limited to, school 

systems, institutions of higher education 

(IHEs), State and local service agencies, 

community rehabilitation programs, 

correctional facilities and programs, and 

employers) to increase referral of 

students and youth with disabilities to 

the State VR system for the supports and 

services they need to achieve 

competitive integrated employment; 

(b) Developing and implementing 

outreach policies and procedures using 

evidence-based and promising practices 

that ensure that students and youth with 

disabilities in the State are located, 

identified, and evaluated for services; 

and 

(c) Developing and implementing 

collaborative and coordinated service 

strategies, such as higher education and 

training services; and internship, 

apprenticeship, and other work 

experience services designed to increase 

the number of students and youth with 

disabilities who are served by the State 

VR agency who obtain competitive 

integrated employment. 

Project Activities 

Under this proposed priority, the 

VRTAC–Y must, at a minimum, conduct 

the following activities: 

Knowledge Development Activities 

(a) In the first year, collect 

information from the literature and from 

existing Federal, State, and other 

programs on evidence-based and 

promising practices relevant to the work 

of the VRTAC–Y and make this 

information publicly available in a 

searchable, accessible, and useful 

format. The VRTAC–Y must review, at 

a minimum: 

(1) State VR agency State plan 

descriptions of outreach plans and 

procedures, coordination and 

collaboration with other agencies, and 

coordination and collaboration with 

education officials relating to students 

and youth with disabilities; 

(2) State VR agency formal 

interagency agreements with SEAs for 

the coordination of transition services, 

including the provision of preemployment transition services; 

(3) The results of State VR agency 

monitoring conducted by RSA, when 

available; 

(4) State VR agency program and 

performance data; and 

(5) Information on promising 

practices and VR needs of students and 

youth with disabilities from TA centers 

that serve relevant public and private 

non-profit agencies, as well as existing 

RSA and OSEP TA centers and RSA and 

OSEP Parent Training and Information 

Centers. 

(b) In the first year, conduct a survey 

of relevant stakeholders and VR service 

providers to identify TA needs that the 

VRTAC–Y can meet and develop a 

process by which TA solutions can be 

offered to State VR agencies and their 

partners. The VRTAC–Y must survey, at 

a minimum: 

(1) State VR agency staff; 

(2) Relevant RSA staff; 

(3) Grantees of the National Institute 

on Disability, Independent Living, and 

Rehabilitation Research that are 

researching topics related to the work of 

the VRTAC–Y; and 

(4) Educators or other professionals 

conducting research on topics related to 

the work of the VRTAC–Y. 

Technical Assistance and 

Dissemination Activities 

(a) Over the five-year grant period, 

provide intensive TA to a minimum of 

10 State VR agencies and their 

associated rehabilitation professionals 

and service providers in the topic areas 

set out in this proposed priority.1 In 

each of the second, third, fourth, and 

fifth years of the project, the VRTAC–Y 

must provide intensive TA to at least 

two different State VR agencies. 

Applicants must clearly describe the 

application process and selection 

criteria for the State VR agencies that 

would receive intensive TA. Such TA 

must include: 

(1) For topic area (a)— 

(i) Identification of key stakeholders 

in the State or region who can improve 

the State VR agency’s ability to perform 

outreach activities and meet the 

employment and training needs of 

students and youth with disabilities; 

(ii) Effective marketing and outreach 

to school and community services 

personnel, such as how best to present 

information about VR supports, training, 

and programming for students and 

youth with disabilities; and 

(iii) How to develop formal and 

informal service and outreach 

agreements with relevant stakeholders 

to meet the employment and training 

needs of students and youth with 

disabilities. 

(2) For topic area (b)— 

(i) How to conduct an analysis and 

assessment of outreach strategies to 

determine gaps between service delivery 

systems, as well as the need for 

coordinated services and supports 

across service systems for students and 

youth with disabilities; 

(ii) How to access and leverage 

partnerships across agencies and service 

delivery systems to increase the number 

of students and youth with disabilities 

provided with relevant and accessible 

information regarding services available 

through the State VR agency. 

(3) For topic area (c)— 

(i) Evidence-based and promising 

practices in the development and 

implementation of vocational services to 

meet the employment and training 

needs of students and youth with 

disabilities; 

(ii) How to incorporate students and 

youth with disabilities into training 

programs in which they have been 

historically underrepresented; and 

(iii) How to assist students and youth 

with disabilities in accessing 

customized vocational, occupational, or 


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certification training or other career 

training that is directly responsive to 

employer needs and hiring 

requirements, including, but not limited 

to, training offered by providers under 

the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 

Education Improvement Act, H–1B 

Ready to Work Partnership Grants, and 

Trade Adjustment Assistance 

Community College and Career Training 

Grants, including two-year and fouryear IHEs. 

(b) In the first year, develop and refine 

a minimum of five curriculum guides 

for VR staff training in topics related to 

the work of the VRTAC–Y, which must 

include: 

(1) Partnership development across 

service delivery systems for purposes of 

leveraging resources and coordinating 

supports, services, training, and 

employment opportunities for students 

and youth with disabilities; 

(2) Development, implementation, 

and dissemination of effective model 

outreach strategies, policies, and 

procedures to improve access for 

students and youth with disabilities to 

VR services and supports; 

(3) Development of customized 

training, other career training, and work 

experience programs for students and 

youth with disabilities; 

(4) Development and delivery of 

support services to providers of career 

training programs that facilitate 

completion of training and result in 

competitive integrated employment for 

students and youth with disabilities; 

and 

(5) Delivery of support services to 

employers who hire students and youth 

with disabilities from customized or 

career training programs or who offer 

internships and work experience 

opportunities. 

(c) Provide a range of targeted and 

general TA products and services on the 

topic areas in this proposed priority. 

Such TA must include, at a minimum, 

the following activities: 

(1) Developing and maintaining a 

state-of-the-art information technology 

(IT) platform sufficient to support 

Webinars, teleconferences, video 

conferences, and other virtual methods 

of dissemination of information and TA; 

Note: All products produced by the 

VRTAC–Y must meet government and 

industry-recognized standards for 

accessibility, including section 508 of the 

Rehabilitation Act. The VRTAC–Y may either 

develop a new platform or system, or modify 

existing platforms or systems, so long as the 

requirements of the priority are met. 

(2) Ensuring that all TA products are 

sent to the National Center for 

Rehabilitation Training Materials, 

including: course curricula; audiovisual 

materials; Webinars; examples of 

emerging and best practices related to 

the topic areas in this proposed priority; 

and any other TA products; and 

(3) Providing a minimum of four 

Webinars or video conferences on each 

of the topic areas in this proposed 

priority to describe and disseminate 

information about emerging and 

promising practices in each area. 

Coordination Activities 

(a) Establish a community of practice 

for all interested State VR agencies that 

will act as a vehicle for communication, 

exchange of information among State 

VR agencies and partners, and a forum 

for sharing the results of TA projects 

that are in progress or have been 

completed. Such community of practice 

must be focused on partnerships across 

service systems, outreach and 

identification strategies for students and 

youth with disabilities, and the 

development and provision of 

vocational services and vocational 

training to students and youth with 

disabilities. 

(b) Communicate and coordinate, on 

an ongoing basis, with other 

Department-funded projects and those 

supported by the Departments of Labor 

and Commerce; and 

(c) Maintain ongoing communications 

with the RSA project officer. 

Application Requirements 

To be funded under this proposed 

priority, applicants must meet the 

proposed application requirements in 

this proposed priority. RSA encourages 

innovative approaches to meet these 

requirements. The proposed application 

requirements are: 

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application, under 

‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how the 

proposed project will— 

(1) Address State VR agencies’ 

capacity to meet the employment and 

training needs of students and youth 

with disabilities. To meet this 

requirement, the applicant must: 

(i) Demonstrate knowledge of 

emerging and best practices in 

conducting outreach and providing VR 

services to students and youth with 

disabilities; 

(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current 

applicable Federal statutes and 

regulations, current RSA guidance, and 

State and Federal initiatives designed to 

improve employment outcomes for 

students and youth with disabilities; 

and 

(iii) Present information about the 

difficulties that State VR agencies and 

service providers have encountered in 

developing and implementing effective 

outreach and service delivery plans for 

students and youth with disabilities; 

and 

(2) Result in increases in both the 

number of students and youth with 

disabilities receiving services from State 

VR agencies and related agencies and 

the number and quality of employment 

outcomes in competitive integrated 

employment for students and youth 

with disabilities; 

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application, under 

‘‘Quality of Project Services,’’ how the 

proposed project will— 

(1) Achieve its goals, objectives, and 

intended outcomes. To meet this 

requirement, the applicant must 

provide— 

(i) Measurable intended project 

outcomes; 

(ii) A plan for how the proposed 

project will achieve its intended 

outcomes; and 

(iii) A plan for communicating and 

coordinating with key staff in State VR 

agencies, State and local partner 

programs, advocates for students and 

youth with disabilities, RSA partners 

such as the Council of State 

Administrators of Vocational 

Rehabilitation (CSAVR), the National 

Council of State Agencies for the Blind 

(NCSAB), and other TA Centers and 

relevant programs within the 

Departments of Education, Labor, and 

Commerce; 

(2) Use a conceptual framework to 

develop project plans and activities, 

describing any underlying concepts, 

assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or 

theories, as well as the presumed 

relationships or linkages among these 

variables, and any empirical support for 

this framework; 

(3) Be based on current research and 

make use of evidence-based and 

promising practices. To meet this 

requirement, the applicant must 

describe— 

(i) The current research on emerging, 

promising, and evidence-based practices 

in the topic areas in this proposed 

priority; 

(ii) How the current research about 

adult learning principles and 

implementation science will inform the 

proposed TA; and 

(iii) How the proposed project will 

incorporate current research and 

evidence-based practices in the 

development and delivery of its 

products and services; 

(4) Develop products and provide 

services that are of high quality and 

sufficient intensity and duration to 

achieve the intended outcomes of the 

proposed project. To address this 


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2For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘universal, 

general technical assistance’’ means TA and 

information provided to independent users through 

their own initiative, resulting in minimal 

interaction with TA center staff and including onetime, invited or offered conference presentations by 

TA center staff. This category of TA also includes 

information or products, such as newsletters, 

guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded 

from the TA center’s Web site by independent 

users. Brief communications by TA center staff with 

recipients, either by telephone or email, are also 

considered universal, general TA. 

3For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘targeted, 

specialized technical assistance’’ means TA services 

based on needs common to multiple recipients and 

not extensively individualized. A relationship is 

established between the TA recipient and one or 

more TA center staff. This category of TA includes 

one-time, labor-intensive events, such as facilitating 

strategic planning or hosting regional or national 

conferences. It can also include episodic, less laborintensive events that extend over a period of time, 

such as facilitating a series of conference calls on 

single or multiple topics that are designed around 

the needs of the recipients. Facilitating 

communities of practice can also be considered 

targeted, specialized TA. 

requirement, the applicant must 

describe— 

(i) Its proposed activities to identify or 

develop the knowledge base on 

emerging and promising practices in the 

topic areas in this proposed priority; 

(ii) Its proposed approach to 

universal, general TA; 2

(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, 

specialized TA,3 which must identify— 

(A) The intended recipients of the 

products and services under this 

approach; and 

(B) Its proposed approach to measure 

the readiness of State VR agencies to 

work with the proposed project, 

assessing, at a minimum, their current 

infrastructure, available resources, and 

ability to effectively respond to the TA, 

as appropriate; 

(iv) Its proposed approach to 

intensive, sustained TA, which must 

identify— 

(A) The intended recipients of the 

products and services under this 

approach; 

(B) Its proposed approach to measure 

the readiness of the State VR agencies to 

work with the proposed project 

including the State VR agencies’ 

commitment to the TA initiatives, 

appropriateness of the initiatives, 

current infrastructure, available 

resources, and ability to respond 

effectively to the TA, as applicable; 

(C) Its proposed plan for assisting 

State VR agencies to build training 

systems that include professional 

development based on adult learning 

principles and coaching; and 

(D) Its proposed plan for developing 

intensive TA agreements with State VR 

agencies to provide intensive, sustained 

TA. The plan must describe how the 

intensive TA agreements will outline 

the purposes of the TA, the intended 

outcomes of the TA, and the measurable 

objectives of the TA that will be 

evaluated; 

(5) Develop products and implement 

services to maximize the project’s 

efficiency. To address this requirement, 

the applicant must describe— 

(i) How the proposed project will use 

technology to achieve the intended 

project outcomes; and 

(ii) With whom the proposed project 

will collaborate and the intended 

outcomes of this collaboration; 

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Quality of the Evaluation Plan,’’ how 

the proposed project will— 

(1) Measure and track the 

effectiveness of the TA provided. To 

meet this requirement, the applicant 

must describe its proposed approach 

to— 

(i) Collecting data on the effectiveness 

of each TA activity from State VR 

agencies, partners, or other sources, as 

appropriate; and 

(ii) Analyzing data and determining 

the effectiveness of each TA activity, 

including any proposed standards or 

targets for determining effectiveness. At 

a minimum, the VRTAC–Y must 

analyze data on school and service 

system referrals to State VR agencies 

and employment outcomes of students 

and youth with disabilities, including 

type of employment, wages, hours 

worked, weeks of employment, and 

public benefits received; 

(2) Collect and analyze data on 

specific and measurable goals, 

objectives, and intended outcomes of 

the project, including measuring and 

tracking the effectiveness of the TA 

provided. To address this requirement, 

the applicant must describe— 

(i) Its proposed evaluation 

methodologies, including instruments, 

data collection methods, and analyses; 

(ii) Its proposed standards or targets 

for determining effectiveness; 

(iii) How it will use the evaluation 

results to examine the effectiveness of 

its implementation and its progress 

toward achieving the intended 

outcomes; and 

(iv) How the methods of evaluation 

will produce quantitative and 

qualitative data that demonstrate 

whether the project and individual TA 

activities achieved their intended 

outcomes; 

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Adequacy of Project Resources,’’ 

how— 

(1) The proposed project will 

encourage applications for employment 

from persons who are members of 

groups that have historically been 

underrepresented based on race, color, 

national origin, gender, age, or 

disability, as appropriate; 

(2) The proposed key project 

personnel, consultants, and 

subcontractors have the qualifications 

and experience to provide TA to State 

VR agencies and their partners in each 

of the topic areas in this proposed 

priority and to achieve the project’s 

intended outcomes; 

(3) The applicant and any key 

partners have adequate resources to 

carry out the proposed activities; and 

(4) The proposed costs are reasonable 

in relation to the anticipated results and 

benefits; 

(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Quality of the Management Plan,’’ 

how— 

(1) The proposed management plan 

will ensure that the project’s intended 

outcomes will be achieved on time and 

within budget. To address this 

requirement, the applicant must 

describe— 

(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for 

key project personnel, consultants, and 

subcontractors, as applicable; and 

(ii) Timelines and milestones for 

accomplishing the project tasks; 

(2) Key project personnel and any 

consultants and subcontractors that will 

be allocated to the project and how 

these allocations are appropriate and 

adequate to achieve the project’s 

intended outcomes, including an 

assurance that such personnel will have 

adequate availability to ensure timely 

communications with stakeholders and 

RSA; 

(3) The proposed management plan 

will ensure that the products and 

services provided are of high quality; 

and 

(4) The proposed project will benefit 

from a diversity of perspectives, 

including those of State and local 

personnel, TA providers, researchers, 

and policy makers, among others, in its 

development and operation. 

Types of Priorities: 

When inviting applications for a 

competition using one or more 

priorities, we designate the type of each 

priority as absolute, competitive 

preference, or invitational through a 

notice in the Federal Register. The 

effect of each type of priority follows: 

Absolute priority: Under an absolute 

priority, we consider only applications 

that meet the priority (34 CFR 

75.105(c)(3)). 

Competitive preference priority: 

Under a competitive preference priority, 

we give competitive preference to an 

application by (1) awarding additional 


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points, depending on the extent to 

which the application meets the priority 

(34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting 

an application that meets the priority 

over an application of comparable merit 

that does not meet the priority (34 CFR 

75.105(c)(2)(ii)). 

Invitational priority: Under an 

invitational priority, we are particularly 

interested in applications that meet the 

priority. However, we do not give an 

application that meets the priority a 

preference over other applications (34 

CFR 75.105(c)(1)). 

Final Priority: 

We will announce the final priority in 

a notice in the Federal Register. We will 

determine the final priority after 

considering responses to this notice and 

other information available to the 

Department. This notice does not 

preclude us from proposing additional 

priorities, requirements, definitions, or 

selection criteria, subject to meeting 

applicable rulemaking requirements. 

Note: This notice does not solicit 

applications. In any year in which we choose 

to use this priority, we invite applications 

through a notice in the Federal Register. 

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 

Regulatory Impact Analysis 

Under Executive Order 12866, the 

Secretary must determine whether this 

proposed regulatory action is 

‘‘significant’’ and, therefore, subject to 

the requirements of the Executive order 

and subject to review by the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB). 

Section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866 

defines a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ 

as an action likely to result in a rule that 

may— 

(1) Have an annual effect on the 

economy of $100 million or more, or 

adversely affect a sector of the economy, 

productivity, competition, jobs, the 

environment, public health or safety, or 

State, local, or tribal governments or 

communities in a material way (also 

referred to as an ‘‘economically 

significant’’ rule); 

(2) Create serious inconsistency or 

otherwise interfere with an action taken 

or planned by another agency; 

(3) Materially alter the budgetary 

impacts of entitlement grants, user fees, 

or loan programs or the rights and 

obligations of recipients thereof; or 

(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues 

arising out of legal mandates, the 

President’s priorities, or the principles 

stated in the Executive order. 

This proposed regulatory action is not 

a significant regulatory action subject to 

review by OMB under section 3(f) of 

Executive Order 12866. 

We have also reviewed this proposed 

regulatory action under Executive Order 

13563, which supplements and 

explicitly reaffirms the principles, 

structures, and definitions governing 

regulatory review established in 

Executive Order 12866. To the extent 

permitted by law, Executive Order 

13563 requires that an agency— 

(1) Propose or adopt regulations only 

on a reasoned determination that their 

benefits justify their costs (recognizing 

that some benefits and costs are difficult 

to quantify); 

(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the 

least burden on society, consistent with 

obtaining regulatory objectives and 

taking into account—among other things 

and to the extent practicable—the costs 

of cumulative regulations; 

(3) In choosing among alternative 

regulatory approaches, select those 

approaches that maximize net benefits 

(including potential economic, 

environmental, public health and safety, 

and other advantages; distributive 

impacts; and equity); 

(4) To the extent feasible, specify 

performance objectives, rather than the 

behavior or manner of compliance a 

regulated entity must adopt; and 

(5) Identify and assess available 

alternatives to direct regulation, 

including economic incentives—such as 

user fees or marketable permits—to 

encourage the desired behavior, or 

provide information that enables the 

public to make choices. 

Executive Order 13563 also requires 

an agency ‘‘to use the best available 

techniques to quantify anticipated 

present and future benefits and costs as 

accurately as possible.’’ The Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs of 

OMB has emphasized that these 

techniques may include ‘‘identifying 

changing future compliance costs that 

might result from technological 

innovation or anticipated behavioral 

changes.’’ 

We are issuing this proposed priority 

only on a reasoned determination that 

its benefits would justify its costs. In 

choosing among alternative regulatory 

approaches, we selected those 

approaches that would maximize net 

benefits. Based on the analysis that 

follows, the Department believes that 

this regulatory action is consistent with 

the principles in Executive Order 13563. 

We also have determined that this 

regulatory action would not unduly 

interfere with State, local, and tribal 

governments in the exercise of their 

governmental functions. 

In accordance with both Executive 

orders, the Department has assessed the 

potential costs and benefits, both 

quantitative and qualitative, of this 

regulatory action. The potential costs 

are those resulting from statutory 

requirements and those we have 

determined as necessary for 

administering the Department’s 

programs and activities. 

The benefits of the Rehabilitation 

Training program have been well 

established over the years through the 

successful completion of similar 

projects. This proposed priority will 

better prepare State VR agency 

personnel to assist the students and 

youth with disabilities who are the 

focus of this priority to achieve 

competitive integrated employment in 

today’s challenging labor market. 

Intergovernmental Review: This 

program is subject to Executive Order 

12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR 

part 79. One of the objectives of the 

Executive order is to foster an 

intergovernmental partnership and a 

strengthened federalism. The Executive 

order relies on processes developed by 

State and local governments for 

coordination and review of proposed 

Federal financial assistance. 

This document provides early 

notification of our specific plans and 

actions for this program. 

Accessible Format: Individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document in 

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

print, audiotape, or compact disc) on 

request to the program contact person 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

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: 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: www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

Dated: May 12, 2015. 

Sue Swenson, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Special 

Education and Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2015–11826 Filed 5–14–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 


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