Source: http://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2017/05/19/2017-10248.html
Timestamp: 2017-08-20 06:02:28
Document Index: 38118959

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 75', 'art 180', 'art 3485', 'art 200', 'art 3474', 'art 79', 'art 86', 'art 79', 'art 200', 'art 200', 'art 200', 'art 170', '§ 205', '§ 205', '§ 205', 'art 3474']

Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-National Center To Enhance Educational Systems To Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence, 22985-22994 [2017-10248] :: Department Of Education :: Regulation Tracker :: Justia
Justia Regulation Tracker Department Of Education Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-National Center To Enhance Educational Systems To Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence, 22985-22994 [2017-10248]
Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-National Center To Enhance Educational Systems To Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence, 22985-22994 [2017-10248]
Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices Upward Bound Program participants must be potential first-generation college students, low-income individuals, or individuals who have a high risk for academic failure, and have a need for academic support in order to pursue successfully a program of education beyond high school. Required program services include: (1) Academic tutoring; (2) advice and assistance in secondary and postsecondary course selection; (3) preparation for college entrance exams and completing the college admission applications; (4) information on federal student financial aid programs including (a) federal Pell grant awards, (b) loan forgiveness, and (c) scholarships; (5) assistance completing financial aid applications; (6) guidance on and assistance in: (a) Secondary school reentry, (b) alternative education programs for secondary school dropouts that lead to the receipt of a regular secondary school diploma, (c) entry into general educational development (GED) programs or, (d) entry into postsecondary education; (7) education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students or the students’ parents, including financial planning for postsecondary education; and (8) projects funded for at least two years under the program must provide instruction in mathematics through precalculus; laboratory science; foreign language; composition; and literature. Dated: May 16, 2017. Kate Mullan, Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy Officer, Office of Management. [FR Doc. 2017–10244 Filed 5–18–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [Docket No.: ED–2017–ICCD–0015] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Application for Grants Under the Predominantly Black Institutions Formula Grant Program Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Department of Education (ED). ACTION: Notice. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing a reinstatement of a previously approved information collection. SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 19, 2017. DATES: To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED– 2017–ICCD–0015. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http:// www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. Please note that comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the Director of the Information Collection Clearance Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Room 224–84, Washington, DC 20202–4537. ADDRESSES: For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Bernadette Miles, 202–453–7892. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Department of Education (ED), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department’s information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 22985 Title of Collection: Application for Grants Under the Predominantly Black Institutions Formula Grant Program. OMB Control Number: 1840–0812. Type of Review: A reinstatement of a previously approved information collection. Respondents/Affected Public: Private Sector. Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 11. Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 220. Abstract: The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 amended Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act to include Section 318—the Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Program. The PBI Program makes 5-year grant awards to eligible colleges and universities to plan, develop, undertake and implement programs to enhance the institution’s capacity to serve more lowand middle-income Black American students; to expand higher education opportunities for eligible students by encouraging college preparation and student persistence in secondary school and postsecondary education; and to strengthen the financial ability of the institution to serve the academic needs of these students. Dated: May 16, 2017 Kate Mullan, Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy Officer, Office of Management. [FR Doc. 2017–10191 Filed 5–18–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities—National Center To Enhance Educational Systems To Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities— National Center to Enhance Educational Systems to Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.326K. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 22986 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices DATES: will also provide this TA to other Department-funded TA centers and to organizations that prepare district superintendents. Despite the increasing availability of practices supported by evidence in literacy, math, science, and behavior support, such as those found in the What Works Clearinghouse, and a significant amount of money and time spent on professional development, the progress of students with disabilities has not significantly improved over time (Burns & Darling-Hammond, 2014; Cook & Odom, 2013; TNTP, 2015; What Works Clearinghouse Publications, available at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/ Publication#/ContentTypeId:3). In 2003, 28 percent of students with disabilities scored at or above basic— this denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at the grade assessed—in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). In 2015, 30 percent of students with disabilities scored at or above basic in reading, only a 2 percent increase over a span of 12 years (U.S. Department of Education, 2015). Although there are pockets of excellence, the practices available from the What Works Clearinghouse and many other sources are generally not implemented as intended or broadly enough to have a major impact on the achievement of students with disabilities (Burns & Ysseldyke, 2009; Klingner, Boardman, & McMaster, 2013). Practices supported by evidence will improve results for students with disabilities only when successfully implemented and sustained. Successful local implementation will depend on: (1) Infrastructure, such as professional development, data systems, and implementation teams, that supports educators’ acquisition and use of the necessary skills; and (2) alignment among national, State, and district policies (Coburn, Hill, & Spillane, 2016; Tseng, 2012). Strengthening infrastructure and aligning policies can be accomplished through strong leadership throughout the State education system, including at the SEA, ESA (where available), and LEA levels (Endsley et al., 2014; Fullan, Bertani, & Quinn, 2004; McIntosh, Mercer, Nese, Strickland-Cohen, & Hoselton, 2015; Sanders, 2012). Although there has been some exploration of how leaders at each level can best support the scaling up of instructional and leadership practices, more focused efforts are needed (Sanders, 2012; Tseng, 2012). Further, while there are examples of ESAs that have supported districts’ efforts to Applications Available: May 19, 2017. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 3, 2017. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 1, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Coffey, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5134, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–5108. Telephone: (202) 245–7373. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve results for children with disabilities by providing technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research. Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 663 and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1463 and U.S.C. 1481). Absolute Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 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: National Center to Enhance Educational Systems to Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence. Background The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a national center to provide technical assistance (TA) directly to States, educational service agencies (ESAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and charter management organizations in those States to help create the conditions necessary for educators to make full and sustained use of instructional and leadership practices supported by evidence (as defined in this notice). Because they are an essential part of this effort, the Center VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 implement practices supported by evidence, little is known regarding how ESAs can best assist SEAs to work with LEAs in the implementation and scaling up of practices that improve results for students with disabilities (Endsley et al., 2014; Rock et al., 2009). This Center is intended to address all of these needs by helping States strengthen the alignment of policy and practice and further develop States’ infrastructure. Priority The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a Center to achieve, at a minimum, the following: (1) Increased capacity of the SEA, ESAs (where available), LEAs, and charter management organizations in selected States to build an infrastructure to support educators’ implementation of instructional and leadership practices supported by evidence; (2) Increased capacity of OSEP-funded TA centers to support SEA, ESA, LEA, and charter management organizations’ systemic change efforts to support implementation of instructional and leadership practices that lead to improved outcomes for students with disabilities; (3) Increased knowledge, skills, and competencies of LEA superintendents and other leaders related to identifying and supporting implementation of practices that lead to improved outcomes for students with disabilities; and (4) Increased body of knowledge on building an infrastructure that supports implementation of practices that lead to improved outcomes for students with disabilities. In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application and administrative requirements in this priority, which are: (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under ‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how the proposed project will— (1) Address State and TA center needs related to developing infrastructure that supportsLEAs and charter management organizations’ ability to implement, scale up, and sustain the use of instructional and leadership practices supported by evidence. To meet this requirement the applicant must— (i) Present applicable State, regional, and local data demonstrating the current needs related to building capacity to implement, scale up, and sustain the use of practices supported by evidence; E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices (ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current educational issues and policy initiatives for supporting implementation and scaling up of practices supported by evidence; (2) Establish partnerships with a minimum of two organizations that prepare district superintendents and one charter management organization to integrate training related to developing an infrastructure to support implementation into their preparation. (3) Collaborate with other OSEPfunded centers (see www.osepideasthatwork.org/find-centeror-grant/find-a-center) to support States’ efforts to build infrastructure that enables States to reach their Stateidentified measureable results as described in their Statewide Systemic Improvement Plans. (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under ‘‘Quality of the Project Services,’’ how the proposed project will— (1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe how it will— (i) Identify the needs of the intended recipients for TA and information; and (ii) Ensure that services and products meet the needs of the intended recipients of the grant; (2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet this requirement, the applicant must provide— (i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and (ii) The logic model by which the proposed project will achieve its intended outcomes. A logic model used in connection with this priority communicates how a project will achieve its intended outcomes and provides a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the project; (3) 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; Note: Rather than use the definition of ‘‘logic model’’ in section 77.1(c) of EDGAR, OSEP uses the definition in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of these application requirements. This definition, unlike the definition in 34 CFR 77.1(c), differentiates between logic models and conceptual frameworks. The following Web sites provide more information on logic models: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resourcesgrantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-projectlogic-model-and-conceptual-framework. (4) Be based on current research and make use of practices supported by evidence. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe— (i) The current research on infrastructure development that builds capacity in SEAs and LEAs to implement, scale up, and sustain the use of practices supported by evidence; (ii) The current research about adult learning principles and implementation or improvement science that will inform the proposed TA; and (iii) How the proposed project will incorporate current research and practices supported by evidence in the development and delivery of its products and services; (5) 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 requirement, the applicant must describe— (i) How it proposes to identify or develop the knowledge base; (ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,1 which must identify the intended recipients of the products and services under this approach; (iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,2 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 potential TA recipients to work with the project, assessing, at a minimum, their current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at the local level; and 1 ‘‘Universal, general TA’’ 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. 2 ‘‘Targeted, specialized TA’’ 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. PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 22987 (iv) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,3 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 SEAs, ESAs, and LEAs to work with the project, including their commitment to the initiative, alignment of the initiative to their needs, current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at the local level; (C) Its proposed plan for assisting SEAs to build or enhance training systems that include professional development based on adult learning principles and coaching; and (D) Its proposed plan for working with appropriate levels of the education system (e.g., SEAs, ESAs, districts, schools, families) to ensure that there is communication between each level and that there are systems in place to support implementation of practices supported by evidence; (6) Develop products and implement services that maximize efficiency. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe— (i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the intended project outcomes; (ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the intended outcomes of this collaboration; and (iii) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to achieve the intended project outcomes. (c) In the narrative section of the application under ‘‘Quality of the Evaluation Plan,’’ include an evaluation plan for the project. The evaluation plan must describe: measures of progress in implementation, including the criteria for determining the extent to which the project’s products and services have reached its target population; measures of intended outcomes or results of the project’s activities in order to evaluate those activities; and a plan for determining how well the goals or objectives of the proposed project, as described in its logic model, have been met. (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under ‘‘Adequacy of Project Resources,’’ how— 3 ‘‘Intensive, sustained 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 negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome. This category of TA should result in changes to policy, program, practice, or operations that support increased recipient capacity or improved outcomes at one or more systems levels. E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 22988 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices (1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally 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 carry out the proposed activities and 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) Allocation of key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate to achieve the project’s intended outcomes; (3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to recipients; and (4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of perspectives, including those of families, educators, TA providers, researchers, and policy makers, among others, in its development and operation. (f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant must— (1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the proposed project. (2) Include, in Appendix A, a conceptual framework for the project; (3) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the narrative; (4) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following: (i) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting in Washington, DC, after receipt of the award, and an annual planning meeting in Washington, DC, with the OSEP project officer and other relevant VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 staff during each subsequent year of the project period. Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the grantee’s project director or other authorized representative. (ii) A two and one-half day project directors’ conference in Washington, DC, during each year of the project period; (iii) Two annual two-day trips to attend Department briefings, Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by OSEP; and (iv) A one-day intensive 3+2 review meeting in Washington, DC, during the last half of the second year of the project period; (5) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are consistent with the proposed project’s intended outcomes, as those needs are identified in consultation with and approved by the OSEP project officer. With approval from the OSEP project officer, the project must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period; (6) Maintain a Web site, with an easyto-navigate design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility; and (7) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the transfer of pertinent resources and products and to maintain the continuity of services to States during the transition to this new award period, as appropriate. Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), as well as— (a) The recommendation of a 3+2 review team consisting of experts selected by the Secretary. This review will be conducted during a one-day intensive meeting that will be held during the last half of the second year of the project period; (b) The timeliness and assessment of how well the requirements of the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the project; and (c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project’s products and services and the extent to which the project’s products and services are aligned with the project’s objectives and likely to result in the project achieving its intended outcomes. PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 References Burns, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2014). Teaching around the world: What can TALIS tell us? Stanford, CA: Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Burns, M.K., & Ysseldyke, J.E. (2009). Reported prevalence of evidence-based instructional practices in special education. The Journal of Special Education, 43(1), 3–11. Coburn, C.E., Hill, H.C., & Spillane, J. P. (2016). Alignment and accountability in policy design and implementation: The Common Core State Standards and implementation research. Educational Researcher, 45(4), 243–251. doi: 10.3102/ 0013189X16651080. Cook, B.G., & Odom, S.L. (2013). Evidencebased practices and implementation science in special education. Exceptional Children, 79(2), 135–144. Endsley, M., Speth, T., Akey, T., Krasnoff, B., Barton, R., Singh, M., Fantz, T. (2014). Coordination of instructional services by Washington State’s Educational Service Districts (REL 2015–041). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/ edlabs. Fullan, M., Bertani, A., & Quinn, J. (2004). New lessons for districtwide reform. Educational Leadership, 61(7), 42. Klingner, J.K., Boardman, A.G., & McMaster, K.L. (2013). What does it take to scale up and sustain eevidence-based practices? Exceptional Children, 79(2), 195–211. McIntosh, K., Mercer, S.H., Nese, R.N., Strickland-Cohen, M.K., & Hoselton, R. (2015). Predictors of sistained Implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18(4). doi: 10.1177/ 1098300715599737. Rock, M.L., Gregg, M., Howard, P.W., Ploessl, D.M., Maughn, S., Gable, R.A., & Zigmond, N.P. (2009). See me, hear me, coach me. Journal of Staff Development, 30(3), 24. Sanders, M.G. (2012). Achieving scale at the district level: A longitudinal multiple case study of a partnership reform. Educational Administration Quarterly, 48(1), 154–186. TNTP. (2015). The mirage: Confronting the hard truth about our quest for teacher development. Washington, DC. Tseng, V. (2012). The uses of research in policy and practice. Washington, DC: Society for Research in Child Development. U.S. Department of Education. (2015). National assessment of educational progress (NAEP), 2015 Mathematics and Reading Assessments. Retrieved from http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ reading_math_2015/#?grade=4. Definitions For the purposes of this priority: E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice that includes a logic model. Supported by evidence means supported by at least strong theory. 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. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only. II. Award Information Type of Award: Cooperative agreement. Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested $54,345,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program for FY 2017, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,100,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. Estimated Number of Awards: 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 Project Period: Up to 60 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs, including public charter schools that operate as LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; freely associated States and outlying areas; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching. 3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee may award subgrants—to directly carry out project activities described in its application—to the following types of entities: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the application. (b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application. 4. Other General Requirements: (a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of the IDEA). (b) Each applicant for, and recipient of, funding must, with respect to the aspects of their proposed project relating to the absolute priority, 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 the IDEA). IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an application package via the internet or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). 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: 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 TDD or a 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: edpubs@inet.ed.gov. If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.326K. Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 22989 large print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice. 2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content and form 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. We recommend that you—(1) limit Part III to no more than 70 pages, and (2) use the following standards: • A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ × 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. • Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots. • Use a font that is 12 point or larger. • Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. The recommended 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 abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of Part III, the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots. 3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: May 19, 2017. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 3, 2017. Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in section IV 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 E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 22990 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 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: September 1, 2017. 4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition. 5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. 6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, and System for Award Management: 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 System for Award Management (SAM), the Government’s primary registrant database; c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and d. Maintain an active SAM 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 at the following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/ webform. A DUNS number can be created within one to two business days. 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 two to five weeks for your TIN to become active. The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow sufficient time to obtain and VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 register your DUNS number and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early. Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48 hours before you can access the information in, and submit an application through, Grants.gov. If you are currently registered with SAM, 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 registration annually. This may take three or more business days. Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet, which you can find at: www2.ed.gov/ fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html. 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/ web/grants/register.html. 7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section. a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants under the National Center to Enhance Educational Systems to Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence competition, CFDA number 84.326K, must be submitted electronically using 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. We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in this section under PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement. You may access the electronic grant application for the National Center to Enhance Educational Systems to Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence competition at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.326, not 84.326K). Please note the following: • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if it is received—that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system—after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department’s G5 system home page at www.G5.gov. In addition, for specific guidance and procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/ apply-for-grants.html. E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your application in paper format. • You must submit all documents electronically, including all information you typically provide on the following forms: The Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. • You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a read-only Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a passwordprotected file, we will not review that material. Please note that this could result in your application not being considered for funding because the material in question—for example, the application narrative—is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF. Additional, detailed information on how to attach files is in the application instructions. • 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. Grants.gov will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors (such as submission of your application by someone other than a registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you must still meet the deadline for submission of applications. Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application. These emails do not mean that your application is without any disqualifying errors. While your application may have VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 been successfully validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department’s application requirements as specified in this notice and in the application instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure to upload attachments in a readonly PDF; failure to submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submitted application has met all of the Department’s requirements. • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1–800–518–4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it. If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 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 the problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will contact you after we determine whether your application will be accepted. 22991 application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application through the Grants.gov system because–– • You do not have access to the internet; or • You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Grants.gov system; and • No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevents you from using the internet to submit your application. If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. Address and mail or fax your statement to: Jennifer Coffey, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5134, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202– 5108. FAX: (202) 245–7590. Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand-delivery instructions described in this notice. b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. 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 84.326K), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202–4260. You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following: Note: The extensions to which we refer in (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service this section apply only to the unavailability postmark. of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov (2) A legible mail receipt with the system. We will not grant you an extension date of mailing stamped by the U.S. if you failed to fully register to submit your Postal Service. application to Grants.gov before the application deadline date and time or if the (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or technical problem you experienced is receipt from a commercial carrier. unrelated to the Grants.gov system. (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Exception to Electronic Submission Department of Education. Requirement: You qualify for an If you mail your application through exception to the electronic submission the U.S. Postal Service, we do not requirement, and may submit your PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 22992 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices 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. 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. We will not consider applications postmarked after the application deadline date. c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery. If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You 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 84.326K), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department— (1) You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245– 6288. V. Application Review Information 1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are listed in the application package. a. Significance (10 points). (1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. (2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increased knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues, or effective strategies; (ii) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system change or improvement; (iii) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build local capacity VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 to provide, improve, or expand services that address the needs of the target population; (iv) The likely utility of the products (such as information, materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed project, including the potential for their being used effectively in a variety of other settings; and (v) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project. b. Quality of project services (25 points). (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project. (2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or beneficiaries of those services; (ii) The extent to which entities that are to be served by the proposed technical assistance project demonstrate support for the project; (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice; (iv) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the proposed project on the intended recipients of those services; (v) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project services; and (vi) The extent to which the technical assistance services to be provided by the proposed project involve the use of efficient strategies, including the use of technology, as appropriate, and the leveraging of non-project resources. c. Quality of project personnel (20 points). (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project. (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel; and (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of project consultants or subcontractors. d. Adequacy of resources (10 points). (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. (2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization; (ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project; and (iii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and benefits. e. Quality of the management plan (15 points). (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks; (ii) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project; (iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products and services from the proposed project; (iv) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project; and (v) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of services, or others, as appropriate. f. Quality of project evaluation (20 points). E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project. (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project; (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes; (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide timely guidance for quality assurance; (iv) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other settings; (v) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies; and (vi) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible. 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 requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that for some VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 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. 4. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high risk 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible. 5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this competition to receive an award that over the course of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2), we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards—that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant—before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS. Please note that, if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000. PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 22993 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); or we may send you an email containing a link to access an electronic version of your 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 multiyear 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, the Department has established a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program. For purposes of this priority, the Center will use these measures, which focus on the extent to which projects provide highquality products and services, the relevance of project products and services to educational and early E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1 22994 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 96 / Friday, May 19, 2017 / Notices asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES intervention policy and practice, and the use of products and services to improve educational and early intervention policy and practice. Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data on these measures as directed by OSEP. Grantees will be required to report information on their project’s performance in annual and final performance reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590). 5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the performance targets in the grantee’s approved application. In making a continuation award, 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. 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 Management Support Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5113, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–2500. 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 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:15 May 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department. Dated: May 16, 2017. Ruth E. Ryder, Deputy Director, Office of Special Education Programs, delegated the duties of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. 2017–10248 Filed 5–18–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings #2 Take notice that the Commission received the following electric corporate filings: Docket Numbers: EC17–116–000. Applicants: Verde Energy USA Inc., Verde Energy USA New York, LLC, Verde Energy USA Trading, LLC. Description: Application of Verde Energy USA Inc., et. al. for Authorization Under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act and Requests for Waivers, Confidential Treatment and Expedited Action. Filed Date: 5/12/17. Accession Number: 20170512–5167. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. Take notice that the Commission received the following electric rate filings: Docket Numbers: ER17–105–003; ER17–104–003. Applicants: Broadview Energy JN, LLC, Broadview Energy KW, LLC. Description: Notice of Non-Material Change in Status of Broadview Energy JN, LLC, ET AL. Filed Date: 5/12/17. Accession Number: 20170512–5131. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. Docket Numbers: ER17–1589–000. Applicants: ISO New England Inc., Vermont Transco, LLC. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Vermont Transco LLC Request for Approval of Updated Depreciation Rates to be effective 7/1/2017. Filed Date: 5/12/17. Accession Number: 20170512–5111. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. Docket Numbers: ER17–1590–000. Applicants: PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Revisions to OA Schedule 1 and OATT Att K-Appx RE Operating Reserve Demand Curve to be effective 7/12/ 2017. Filed Date: 5/12/17. PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 Accession Number: 20170512–5125. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. Docket Numbers: ER17–1591–000. Applicants: PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Amendment to Service Agreement No. 1442; Queue No. NQ123 to be effective 6/2/2015. Filed Date: 5/12/17. Accession Number: 20170512–5134. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. Docket Numbers: ER17–1592–000. Applicants: Arizona Public Service Company. Description: Notice of Cancellation of Rate Schedule No. 45 of Arizona Public Service Company. Filed Date: 5/12/17. Accession Number: 20170512–5140. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. Docket Numbers: ER17–1593–000. Applicants: Combined Locks Energy Center, LLC. Description: Tariff Cancellation: Cancellation of Market Based Rate Tariff to be effective 5/13/2017. Filed Date: 5/12/17. Accession Number: 20170512–5172. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. Docket Numbers: ER17–1594–000. Applicants: Archer Energy, LLC. Description: Baseline eTariff Filing: Application for Market Based Rate Authority to be effective 7/15/2017. Filed Date: 5/12/17. Accession Number: 20170512–5173. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 6/2/17. The filings are accessible in the Commission’s eLibrary system by clicking on the links or querying the docket number. Any person desiring to intervene or protest in any of the above proceedings must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission’s Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the specified comment date. Protests may be considered, but intervention is necessary to become a party to the proceeding. eFiling is encouraged. More detailed information relating to filing requirements, interventions, protests, service, and qualifying facilities filings can be found at: http://www.ferc.gov/ docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For other information, call (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659. Dated: May 12, 2017. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2017–10121 Filed 5–18–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM 19MYN1
[Pages 22985-22994]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10248]
Disabilities--National Center To Enhance Educational Systems To Promote
the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for Technical
Children with Disabilities--National Center to Enhance Educational
Systems to Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence, Catalog
of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.326K.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Coffey, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5134, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5108. Telephone: (202) 245-7373.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a a
text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free,
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);
20 U.S.C. 1463 and U.S.C. 1481).
This priority is: National Center to Enhance Educational Systems to
Promote the Use of Practices Supported by Evidence.
establish and operate a national center to provide technical assistance
(TA) directly to States, educational service agencies (ESAs), local
educational agencies (LEAs), and charter management organizations in
those States to help create the conditions necessary for educators to
make full and sustained use of instructional and leadership practices
supported by evidence (as defined in this notice). Because they are an
essential part of this effort, the Center will also provide this TA to
other Department-funded TA centers and to organizations that prepare
Despite the increasing availability of practices supported by
evidence in literacy, math, science, and behavior support, such as
those found in the What Works Clearinghouse, and a significant amount
of money and time spent on professional development, the progress of
students with disabilities has not significantly improved over time
(Burns & Darling-Hammond, 2014; Cook & Odom, 2013; TNTP, 2015; What
Works Clearinghouse Publications, available at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Publication#/ContentTypeId:3).
In 2003, 28 percent of students with disabilities scored at or
above basic--this denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and
skills that are fundamental for proficient work at the grade assessed--
in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
In 2015, 30 percent of students with disabilities scored at or above
basic in reading, only a 2 percent increase over a span of 12 years
(U.S. Department of Education, 2015).
Although there are pockets of excellence, the practices available
from the What Works Clearinghouse and many other sources are generally
not implemented as intended or broadly enough to have a major impact on
the achievement of students with disabilities (Burns & Ysseldyke, 2009;
Klingner, Boardman, & McMaster, 2013). Practices supported by evidence
will improve results for students with disabilities only when
successfully implemented and sustained.
Successful local implementation will depend on: (1) Infrastructure,
such as professional development, data systems, and implementation
teams, that supports educators' acquisition and use of the necessary
skills; and (2) alignment among national, State, and district policies
(Coburn, Hill, & Spillane, 2016; Tseng, 2012).
Strengthening infrastructure and aligning policies can be
accomplished through strong leadership throughout the State education
system, including at the SEA, ESA (where available), and LEA levels
(Endsley et al., 2014; Fullan, Bertani, & Quinn, 2004; McIntosh,
Mercer, Nese, Strickland-Cohen, & Hoselton, 2015; Sanders, 2012).
Although there has been some exploration of how leaders at each level
can best support the scaling up of instructional and leadership
practices, more focused efforts are needed (Sanders, 2012; Tseng,
2012). Further, while there are examples of ESAs that have supported
districts' efforts to implement practices supported by evidence, little
is known regarding how ESAs can best assist SEAs to work with LEAs in
the implementation and scaling up of practices that improve results for
students with disabilities (Endsley et al., 2014; Rock et al., 2009).
This Center is intended to address all of these needs by helping
States strengthen the alignment of policy and practice and further
develop States' infrastructure.
establish and operate a Center to achieve, at a minimum, the following:
(1) Increased capacity of the SEA, ESAs (where available), LEAs,
and charter management organizations in selected States to build an
infrastructure to support educators' implementation of instructional
and leadership practices supported by evidence;
(2) Increased capacity of OSEP-funded TA centers to support SEA,
ESA, LEA, and charter management organizations' systemic change efforts
to support implementation of instructional and leadership practices
that lead to improved outcomes for students with disabilities;
(3) Increased knowledge, skills, and competencies of LEA
superintendents and other leaders related to identifying and supporting
implementation of practices that lead to improved outcomes for students
(4) Increased body of knowledge on building an infrastructure that
supports implementation of practices that lead to improved outcomes for
In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
(1) Address State and TA center needs related to developing
infrastructure that supportsLEAs and charter management organizations'
ability to implement, scale up, and sustain the use of instructional
and leadership practices supported by evidence. To meet this
requirement the applicant must--
(i) Present applicable State, regional, and local data
demonstrating the current needs related to building capacity to
implement, scale up, and sustain the use of practices supported by
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current educational issues and policy
initiatives for supporting implementation and scaling up of practices
(2) Establish partnerships with a minimum of two organizations that
prepare district superintendents and one charter management
organization to integrate training related to developing an
infrastructure to support implementation into their preparation.
(3) Collaborate with other OSEP-funded centers (see
www.osepideasthatwork.org/find-center-or-grant/find-a-center) to
support States' efforts to build infrastructure that enables States to
reach their State-identified measureable results as described in their
Statewide Systemic Improvement Plans.
(ii) The logic model by which the proposed project will achieve its
intended outcomes. A logic model used in connection with this priority
communicates how a project will achieve its intended outcomes and
provides a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations
support for this framework;
Note:  Rather than use the definition of ``logic model'' in
section 77.1(c) of EDGAR, OSEP uses the definition in paragraph
(b)(2)(ii) of these application requirements. This definition,
unlike the definition in 34 CFR 77.1(c), differentiates between
logic models and conceptual frameworks. The following Web sites
provide more information on logic models: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.
(4) Be based on current research and make use of practices
supported by evidence. To meet this requirement, the applicant must
(i) The current research on infrastructure development that builds
capacity in SEAs and LEAs to implement, scale up, and sustain the use
of practices supported by evidence;
implementation or improvement science that will inform the proposed TA;
and practices supported by evidence in the development and delivery of
(i) How it proposes to identify or develop the knowledge base;
(ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,\1\ which must
identify the intended recipients of the products and services under
this approach;
\1\ ``Universal, general TA'' means TA and information provided
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.
(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,\2\ which
\2\ ``Targeted, specialized TA'' means TA services based on
(A) The intended recipients of the products and services under this
(iv) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,\3\ which
\3\ ``Intensive, sustained 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
negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome.
This category of TA should result in changes to policy, program,
practice, or operations that support increased recipient capacity or
improved outcomes at one or more systems levels.
(B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of the SEAs,
ESAs, and LEAs to work with the project, including their commitment to
the initiative, alignment of the initiative to their needs, current
infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at
(C) Its proposed plan for assisting SEAs to build or enhance
training systems that include professional development based on adult
learning principles and coaching; and
education system (e.g., SEAs, ESAs, districts, schools, families) to
ensure that there is communication between each level and that there
are systems in place to support implementation of practices supported
by evidence;
the Evaluation Plan,'' include an evaluation plan for the project. The
evaluation plan must describe: measures of progress in implementation,
including the criteria for determining the extent to which the
project's products and services have reached its target population;
order to evaluate those activities; and a plan for determining how well
the goals or objectives of the proposed project, as described in its
logic model, have been met.
(2) Allocation of key project personnel and any consultants and
subcontractors and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate
to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model that depicts, at a
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the
(3) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines,
Note:  Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award
grantee's project director or other authorized representative.
(iii) Two annual two-day trips to attend Department briefings,
(iv) A one-day intensive 3+2 review meeting in Washington, DC,
during the last half of the second year of the project period;
(5) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of
needs are identified in consultation with and approved by the OSEP
(6) Maintain a Web site, with an easy-to-navigate design, that
meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;
(7) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the
award period, as appropriate.
(b) The timeliness and assessment of how well the requirements of
Burns, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2014). Teaching around the world:
What can TALIS tell us? Stanford, CA: Stanford Center for
Burns, M.K., & Ysseldyke, J.E. (2009). Reported prevalence of
evidence-based instructional practices in special education. The
Journal of Special Education, 43(1), 3-11.
Coburn, C.E., Hill, H.C., & Spillane, J. P. (2016). Alignment and
accountability in policy design and implementation: The Common Core
State Standards and implementation research. Educational Researcher,
45(4), 243-251. doi: 10.3102/0013189X16651080.
Cook, B.G., & Odom, S.L. (2013). Evidence-based practices and
implementation science in special education. Exceptional Children,
79(2), 135-144.
Endsley, M., Speth, T., Akey, T., Krasnoff, B., Barton, R., Singh,
M., Fantz, T. (2014). Coordination of instructional services by
Washington State's Educational Service Districts (REL 2015-041).
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education
Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest. Retrieved
from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.
Fullan, M., Bertani, A., & Quinn, J. (2004). New lessons for
districtwide reform. Educational Leadership, 61(7), 42.
Klingner, J.K., Boardman, A.G., & McMaster, K.L. (2013). What does
it take to scale up and sustain eevidence-based practices?
Exceptional Children, 79(2), 195-211.
McIntosh, K., Mercer, S.H., Nese, R.N., Strickland-Cohen, M.K., &
Hoselton, R. (2015). Predictors of sistained Implementation of
school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports. Journal
of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18(4). doi: 10.1177/
1098300715599737.
Rock, M.L., Gregg, M., Howard, P.W., Ploessl, D.M., Maughn, S.,
Gable, R.A., & Zigmond, N.P. (2009). See me, hear me, coach me.
Journal of Staff Development, 30(3), 24.
Sanders, M.G. (2012). Achieving scale at the district level: A
longitudinal multiple case study of a partnership reform.
Educational Administration Quarterly, 48(1), 154-186.
TNTP. (2015). The mirage: Confronting the hard truth about our quest
for teacher development. Washington, DC.
Tseng, V. (2012). The uses of research in policy and practice.
Washington, DC: Society for Research in Child Development.
U.S. Department of Education. (2015). National assessment of
educational progress (NAEP), 2015 Mathematics and Reading
Assessments. Retrieved from http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2015/#?grade=4.
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product,
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
part 3474.
$54,345,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program for FY
2017, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,100,000 for this
budget exceeding $1,100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.
disabilities (see section 606 of the IDEA).
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call: ED Pubs, U.S.
TDD or a TTY, call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.326K.
limit Part III to no more than 70 pages, and (2) use the following
in connection with the application process should contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 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
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48
Applications for grants under the National Center to Enhance
Educational Systems to Promote the Use of Practices Supported by
Evidence competition, CFDA number 84.326K, must be submitted
Center to Enhance Educational Systems to Promote the Use of Practices
Supported by Evidence competition at www.Grants.gov. You must search
search (e.g., search for 84.326, not 84.326K).
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Jennifer Coffey, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5134, Potomac
(CFDA Number 84.326K), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
(CFDA Number 84.326K), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center
a. Significance (10 points).
(i) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increased
knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues, or
(ii) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system
change or improvement;
needs of the target population;
(iv) The likely utility of the products (such as information,
variety of other settings; and
(v) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely
b. Quality of project services (25 points).
beneficiaries of those services;
(ii) The extent to which entities that are to be served by the
proposed technical assistance project demonstrate support for the
(iv) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the
proposed project on the intended recipients of those services;
(v) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
(vi) The extent to which the technical assistance services to be
provided by the proposed project involve the use of efficient
strategies, including the use of technology, as appropriate, and the
leveraging of non-project resources.
c. Quality of project personnel (20 points).
of key project personnel; and
d. Adequacy of resources (10 points).
(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
lead applicant organization;
(ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project; and
e. Quality of the management plan (15 points).
continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project;
and services from the proposed project;
(iv) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
(v) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives
f. Quality of project evaluation (20 points).
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
achieving intended outcomes;
timely guidance for quality assurance;
(v) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies; and
(vi) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
Results Act of 1993, the Department has established a set of
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program. For
purposes of this priority, the Center will use these measures, which
focus on the extent to which projects provide high-quality products and
services, the relevance of project products and services to educational
intervention policy and practice, and the use of products and services
to improve educational and early intervention policy and practice.
[FR Doc. 2017-10248 Filed 5-18-17; 8:45 am]