[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16819-16826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6945]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve 
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Preparation of 
Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership 
Personnel

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With 
Disabilities--Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and 
Related Services Leadership Personnel

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2012.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.325D.


DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 22, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 7, 2012.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 5, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help 
address State-identified needs for highly qualified personnel in 
special education, related services, early intervention, and regular 
education to work with children, including infants and toddlers, with 
disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary 
skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined 
through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful 
in serving those children.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this 
priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see 
sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from 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:

Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related 
Services Leadership Personnel

Background
    The purpose of the Preparation of Special Education, Early 
Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel priority is to 
support programs that prepare special education, early intervention, 
and related services personnel at the graduate level who are well-
qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions in 
universities, State educational agencies (SEAs), lead agencies (LAs), 
local educational agencies (LEAs), early intervention services programs 
(EIS programs), or schools.
    Over the last two decades, there has been a need for leadership 
personnel who are prepared at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels to 
fill faculty positions in special education, early intervention, and 
related services (Sindelar & Taylor, 1988; Smith & Lovett, 1987; Smith, 
Pion, & Tyler, 2004; Smith, Robb, West and Tyler, 2010; Woods & Snyder, 
2009). These leaders teach evidence-based practices to special 
education, early intervention, and related services professionals who 
work in a variety of educational settings and provide services directly 
to children and youth with disabilities. They also conduct research to 
increase the knowledge of effective interventions and services for 
these children (Smith et al., 2010).
    State and local agencies also need leadership personnel who are 
prepared at the graduate level (i.e., master's, education specialist, 
and doctoral degrees, depending on State certification requirements) to 
fill special education and early intervention administrator positions. 
These administrators supervise and evaluate the implementation of 
evidence-based instructional programs to make sure that State or local 
agencies are meeting the needs of children with disabilities. 
Administrators also ensure that schools and programs meet Federal, 
State, and local requirements for special education, early 
intervention, and related services (Lashley & Boscardin, 2003).
    Federal support can increase the supply of personnel who have the 
necessary knowledge and skills to assume leadership positions in 
special education, early intervention, and related services in 
universities, SEAs, LAs, LEAs, EIS programs, or schools. Critical 
competencies for special education, early intervention, and related 
services personnel vary depending on the type of personnel and the 
requirements of the preparation program but can include, for example, 
skills needed for postsecondary instruction, administration, policy 
development, professional practice, leadership, or research. However, 
all leadership personnel need to have current knowledge of effective 
interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with 
disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities.

Priority

    The purpose of the Preparation of Special Education, Early 
Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel priority is to 
support programs that prepare special education, early intervention, 
and related services personnel at the graduate level who are well-
qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions in 
universities, SEAs, LAs, LEAs, EIS programs, or schools. This priority 
supports two types of programs:

[[Page 16820]]

    Type A programs are designed to prepare special education, early 
intervention, or related services personnel to serve as higher 
education faculty. Type A programs culminate in a doctoral degree or 
provide postdoctoral learning opportunities.

    Note: Preparation programs that lead to clinical doctoral 
degrees in related services (e.g., a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) 
degree or Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree) are not included 
in this priority. These types of preparation programs are eligible 
to apply for funding under the Personnel Preparation in Special 
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services priority (CFDA 
84.325K) that the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 
intends to fund in FY 2012.

    Type B programs are designed to prepare special education or early 
intervention administrators to work in SEAs, LAs, LEAs, EIS programs, 
or schools. Type B programs prepare personnel for positions such as SEA 
special education administrators, LEA or regional special education 
directors, school-based special education directors, preschool 
coordinators, and early intervention coordinators. Type B programs 
culminate in a master's, education specialist, or doctoral degree.

    Note:  OSEP intends to fund in FY 2012 at least three high-
quality applications proposing Type B programs and may fund 
applications out of rank order.


    Note: The preparation of school principals is not included in 
this priority.


    Note: Applicants must identify the specific program type, A or 
B, for which they are applying for funding as part of the 
competition title on the application cover sheet (SF form 424, item 
15). Applicants may not submit the same proposal for more than one 
program type.

    To be considered for funding under the Preparation of Special 
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership 
Personnel absolute priority, all program applicants must meet the 
application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded 
under the absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and 
administrative requirements specified in the priority.
    The requirements of this priority are as follows:
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under 
``Significance of the Project'' how--
    (1) The project addresses national, State, or regional needs for 
leadership personnel to administer programs or provide, or prepare 
others to provide, interventions and services that improve outcomes of 
children with disabilities, ages birth through 21, including high-need 
children with disabilities.\1\ To address this requirement, the 
applicant must--
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    \1\ For the purpose of this priority, ``high-need children with 
disabilities'' refers to children (ages birth through twenty-one, 
depending on the State) who are eligible for services under IDEA, 
and who may be further disadvantaged and at risk of educational 
failure because they: (1) Are living in poverty, (2) are far below 
grade level, (3) are at risk of not graduating with a regular high 
school diploma on time, (4) are homeless, (5) are in foster care, 
(6) have been incarcerated, (7) are English learners, (8) are 
pregnant or parenting teenagers, (9) are new immigrants, (10) are 
migrant, or (11) are not on track to being college- or career-ready 
by graduation.
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    (i) Present appropriate and applicable national, State, or regional 
data demonstrating the need for the leadership personnel the applicant 
proposes to prepare; and
    (ii) Present data on the effectiveness of the graduate program to 
date in areas such as: the effectiveness of program graduates as 
educators of teachers, service providers, or administrators; the 
average amount of time it takes for program graduates to complete the 
program; the percentage of program graduates finding employment 
directly related to their preparation; and the professional 
accomplishments of program graduates (e.g., public service, honors, or 
publications) that demonstrate their leadership in special education, 
early intervention, or related services; and

    Note: Data on the effectiveness of a graduate program should be 
no older than five years from the start date of the project proposed 
in the application. When reporting percentages, the denominator 
(i.e., the total number of students) must be provided.

    (2) Scholar competencies to be acquired in the program relate to 
knowledge and skills needed by the leadership personnel the applicant 
proposes to prepare. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
    (i) Identify the competencies needed by leadership personnel in 
postsecondary instruction, administration, policy development, 
professional practice, leadership, or research in order to administer 
programs or provide, or prepare others to provide, interventions and 
services that improve outcomes of children with disabilities, ages 
birth through 21, including high-need children with disabilities; and
    (ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the leadership preparation 
program, including any empirical support, that will promote the 
acquisition of the identified competencies needed by leadership 
personnel and where applicable, how these competencies relate to the 
project's specialized preparation area.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under 
``Quality of the Project Services,'' how--
    (1) The project will recruit and support high-quality scholars. The 
narrative must--
    (i) Describe the selection criteria the applicant will use to 
identify high-quality applicants for admission in the program;
    (ii) Describe the recruitment strategies the applicant will use to 
attract high-quality applicants and any specific recruitment strategies 
targeting high-quality applicants from traditionally underrepresented 
groups; and
    (iii) Describe the approach the applicant will use to help scholars 
complete the program; and
    (2) The project is designed to promote the acquisition of the 
competencies needed by leadership personnel to administer programs or 
provide, or prepare others to provide, interventions and services that 
improve outcomes of children with disabilities. To address this 
requirement, the applicant must--
    (i) Describe how the components of the project, such as coursework, 
internship or practicum experiences, research requirements, and other 
opportunities provided to scholars to analyze data, critique research 
and methodologies, and practice newly acquired knowledge and skills, 
will enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by 
leadership personnel for postsecondary instruction, administration, 
policy development, professional practice, leadership, or research in 
special education, early intervention, or related services;
    (ii) Describe how the components of the project are integrated in 
order to support the acquisition and enhancement of the identified 
competencies needed by leadership personnel in special education, early 
intervention, or related services;
    (iii) Describe how the components of the project prepare scholars 
to administer programs or provide, or prepare others to provide, 
interventions and services that improve outcomes of children with 
disabilities in a variety of settings, including in high-need LEAs,\2\ 
high-poverty schools,\3\ low-performing

[[Page 16821]]

schools, including persistently lowest-achieving schools,\4\ priority 
schools (in the case of States that have received the Department's 
approval of a request for ESEA flexibility),\5\ and early childhood 
programs located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA; 
and
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    \2\ For purposes of this priority, the term ``high-need LEA'' 
means an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from 
families with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not 
less than 20 percent of the children served by the LEA are from 
families with incomes below the poverty line.
    \3\ For purposes of this priority, the term ``high-poverty 
school'' means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are 
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 percent of 
students are from low-income families as determined using one of the 
criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. For middle and high 
schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable 
data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under 
this definition is determined on the basis of the most currently 
available data (www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
    \4\ The term ``persistently lowest-achieving schools'' means, as 
determined by the State--
    (a)(1) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring that--
    (i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I 
schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the 
lowest-achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective 
action, or restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools 
is greater; or
    (ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined 
in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of 
years; and
    (2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not 
receive, Title I funds that--
    (i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary 
schools or the lowest-achieving five secondary schools in the State 
that are eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds, whichever 
number of schools is greater; or
    (ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined 
in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of 
years.
    (b) To identify the persistently lowest-achieving schools, a 
State must take into account both--
    (i) The academic achievement of the ''all students'' group in a 
school in terms of proficiency on the State's assessments under 
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/language arts and 
mathematics combined; and
    (ii) The school's lack of progress on those assessments over a 
number of years in the ``all students'' group.
    For the purposes of this priority, the Department considers 
schools that are identified as Tier I or Tier II schools under the 
School Improvement Grants Program (see 75 FR 66363) as part of a 
State's approved FY 2009 or FY 2010 applications to be persistently 
lowest-achieving schools. A list of these Tier I and Tier II schools 
can be found on the Department's Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html.
    \5\ The term ``priority school'' means a school that has been 
identified by the State as a priority school pursuant to the State's 
approved request for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) 
flexibility.
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    (iv) Describe the approach that faculty members will use to mentor 
scholars with the goal of helping them acquire competencies needed by 
leadership personnel and promote career goals in special education, 
early intervention, or related services.
    (c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under 
``Quality of the Project Evaluation,'' how--
    (1) The applicant will evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed 
leadership project. The applicant must describe the outcomes to be 
measured for both the project and the scholars, particularly the 
acquisition of scholar competencies; the evaluation methodologies to be 
employed, including proposed instruments, data collection methods, and 
possible analyses; and the proposed standards or targets for 
determining effectiveness;
    (2) The applicant will collect and use data on current scholars and 
scholars who graduate from the program to improve the proposed program 
on an ongoing basis; and
    (3) The grantee will report the evaluation results to OSEP in its 
annual and final performance reports.
    (d) Include, in the narrative under ``Required Project 
Assurances,'' or appendices as directed, that the following program 
requirements are met. The applicant must--
    (1) Include in the application appendix--
    (i) Course syllabi for all coursework in the major and any required 
coursework for a minor;
    (ii) Course syllabi for all research methods, evaluation methods, 
or data analysis courses required by the degree program and elective 
research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses that 
have been completed by more than one student enrolled in the program in 
the last five years; and
    (iii) For new coursework, proposed syllabi;
    (2) Ensure that all scholars recruited into the program can 
graduate from the program by the end of the grant's project period. The 
described scholar recruitment strategies, the program components and 
their sequence, and proposed budget must be consistent with this 
project requirement;
    (3) Ensure that the project will meet the statutory requirements in 
section 662(e) through 662(h) of IDEA;
    (4) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total requested annual 
budget will be used for scholar support or provide justification in the 
application narrative for any designation less than 65 percent. 
Examples of sufficient justification for proposing less than 65 percent 
of the budget for scholar support include--
    (i) A project servicing rural areas that provides long-distance 
coursework, and requires information technology personnel, adjunct 
professors, or site-based mentors to operate effectively; and
    (ii) A project that expands or adds a new area of emphasis to 
special education, early intervention, or related services, and 
includes data on the need for the expansion and information on how 
these expanded or new areas will be sustained once Federal funding 
ends.
    (5) Ensure that the institution will not require scholars enrolled 
in the program to work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a condition of 
receiving a scholarship, unless the work is specifically related to the 
acquisition of scholars' competencies and the requirements for 
completion of their personnel preparation program. Please note that 
this prohibition on work as a condition of receiving a scholarship does 
not apply to the service obligation requirements in section 662(h) of 
IDEA;
    (6) Ensure that the budget includes attendance of the project 
director at a three-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC, 
during each year of the project. The budget may also provide for the 
attendance of scholars at the three-day Project Directors' meeting in 
Washington, DC;
    (7) Ensure that if the project maintains a Web site, relevant 
information and documents are in a format that meets government or 
industry-recognized standards for accessibility; and
    (8) Ensure that annual data will be submitted on each scholar who 
receives grant support. Applicants are encouraged to visit the 
Personnel Development Program Scholar Data Report Web site at: http://oseppdp.ed.gov for further information about this data collection 
requirement. Typically, data collection begins in January of each year, 
and grantees are notified by email about the data collection period for 
their grant. This data collection must be submitted electronically by 
the grantee and does not supplant the annual grant performance report 
required of each grantee for continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: Within this absolute priority, 
we give competitive preference to applications that meet one or more of 
the following priorities. For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities.
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award 5 points to an application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Applicants for Type A or Type B programs that demonstrate, through 
a letter of support, a relationship with one or more high-need LEAs; 
publicly funded preschool programs, including Head Start programs, 
located within the geographic boundaries of a high-need

[[Page 16822]]

LEA; or programs serving children eligible for services under Part C or 
Part B, section 619 of the IDEA located within the geographic 
boundaries of a high-need LEA that will provide scholars with a high-
quality internship or practicum experience in a school in a high-need 
LEA, publicly funded preschool, or early intervention program.
    The applicant must describe in the narrative the high-quality 
internship or practicum experiences that will be provided to scholars. 
The applicant must include with its application a letter of support 
from the partnering agency, school, or program that: (a) Indicates 
agreement to be a site for the proposed internship or practicum 
experiences; and (b) confirms a previously established partnership 
between the applicant and partnering agency, school, or program.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award 5 points to an application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Applicants for Type B programs that provide a syllabus or syllabi 
for a new or existing course, or series of courses, that show(s) that 
the course or courses include or will include: (1) A discussion of 
applicable research and evaluation findings on the use of data on early 
learning outcomes, student achievement, or growth in student 
achievement in evaluating the effectiveness of early intervention 
providers, related services providers, teachers, or principals; (2) 
methodological and statistical considerations in conducting an 
evaluation of the effectiveness of these personnel using data on early 
learning outcomes, student achievement, or growth in student 
achievement; and (3) an opportunity for scholars to review, critique, 
and, as appropriate, participate in one or more evaluations of the 
effectiveness of early intervention providers, related services 
providers, teachers, or principals.

    Note: Five is the maximum amount of competitive preference 
points an applicant can receive for meeting one or both of the 
competitive preference priorities. Applicants must include in the 
one-page abstract submitted with the application a statement 
indicating which competitive preference priorities they have 
addressed.

References

Lashley, C., & Boscardin, M.L. (2003). Special education 
administration at the crossroads: Availability, licensure, and 
preparation of special education administrators. Gainesville, FL: 
Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education, University of 
Florida. Retrieved February 24, 2010, from www.coe.ufl.edu/copsse/docs/IB-8/1/IB-8.pdf.
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2009). 
What is a professional development school? Retrieved June 29, 2009, 
from http://www.ncate.org/public/.
Sindelar, P.T., & Taylor, C. (1988). Supply and demand for doctoral 
personnel in special education and communication disorders. Teacher 
Education and Special Education, 11, 162-167.
Smith, D.D., & Lovett, D. (1987). The supply and demand of special 
education faculty members? Will the supply meet the demand. Teacher 
Education and Special Education, 11, 162-167.
Smith, D.D., Pion, G.M., & Tyler, N.C. (2004). Leadership personnel 
in special education: Can persistent shortages be resolved? In A.M. 
Sorells, H.J., Rieth and P.T. Sindelar (Eds.), Critical Issues in 
Special Education: Access, Diversity, and Accountability (pp. 258-
276). New York: Pearson, Allyn & Bacon.
Smith, D.D., Robb, S.M., West, J., & Tyler, N.C. (2010). The 
changing education landscape: How special education leadership 
preparation can make a difference for teachers and their students 
with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33(1), 
25-43.
Woods, J., & Snyder, P. (2009). Interdisciplinary doctoral 
leadership training in early intervention. Infants & Young Children, 
22(1), 32-4.

    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 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment 
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) 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. (b) The regulations for this 
program in 34 CFR part 304.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,250,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2013 from the list of unfunded applicants from 
this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $225,000-$250,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $237,500.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $250,000 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: 13.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs).
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment 
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) Each applicant and grant recipient funded under this program 
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: 
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) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a5c0c1d5d0c7d6e5cccbc0d18bc0c18bc2cad3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c8adacb8bdaabb88a1a6adbce6adace6afa7be">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.325D.
    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 compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.

[[Page 16823]]

    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 Part III to the equivalent 
of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
    <bullet> A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
    <bullet> Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions.
    <bullet> Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    <bullet> 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, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or if 
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 22, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 7, 2012.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), 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. Deadline for 
Intergovernmental Review: July 5, 2012.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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 program.
    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 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: 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 Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, 
and Related Services Leadership Personnel, CFDA number 84.325D, 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 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 email an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Preparation 
of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services 
Leadership Personnel, CFDA number 84.325D at 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 84.325, not 84.325D).
    Please note the following:
    <bullet> Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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

[[Page 16824]]

4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> If you submit your application electronically, you must 
upload 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.
    <bullet> If you submit your application electronically, you must 
upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your 
application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) read only, non-
modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. 
If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or 
submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. 
Additional, detailed information on how to attach files is in the 
application instructions.
    <bullet> Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
    <bullet> 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 email. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
    <bullet> 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 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 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 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.

    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 84.325D), 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 84.325D), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 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.


[[Page 16825]]



V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program 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 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 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 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to 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 Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results 
for Children with Disabilities Program. These measures include: (1) The 
percentage of projects that incorporate evidence-based practices into 
the curriculum; (2) the percentage of scholars completing Personnel 
Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities-funded programs who are knowledgeable and skilled in 
evidence-based practices for children, including infants and toddlers, 
with disabilities; (3) the percentage of Personnel Development to 
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities-funded 
scholars who exit preparation programs prior to completion due to poor 
academic performance; (4) the percentage of Personnel Development to 
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities-funded 
degree/certification recipients who are working in the area(s) in which 
they were prepared upon program completion; (5) the percentage of 
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities-funded degree/certification recipients who are working in 
the area(s) for which they were prepared upon program completion and 
are fully qualified under IDEA; (6) the percentage of Personnel 
Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities degree/certification recipients who maintain employment 
for three or more years in the area(s) for which they were prepared and 
who are fully qualified under IDEA; and (7) the Federal cost per fully 
qualified degree/certification recipient.
    Grantees may be asked to participate in assessing and providing 
information on these aspects of program quality.
    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: Celia Rosenquist, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,

[[Page 16826]]

Room 4055, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2600. 
Telephone: (202) 245-7373.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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 compact disc) 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 or a TTY, 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: 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: March 19, 2012.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-6945 Filed 3-21-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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