80_FR_62252 80 FR 62053 - Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services

80 FR 62053 - Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 199 (October 15, 2015)

Page Range62053-62064
FR Document2015-26290

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62053-62064]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26290]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


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

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--Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early 
Intervention, and Related Services
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2016.

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


DATES: Applications Available: October 15, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 14, 2015.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: February 12, 2016.

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 personnel preparation in special 
education, early intervention, related services, 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.
    Priority: 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 2016 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:
    Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and 
Related Services.
    Background:
    The purpose of the Personnel Preparation in Special Education, 
Early Intervention, and Related Services priority is to improve the 
quality and increase the number of personnel who are fully credentialed 
to serve children, including infants and toddlers, with disabilities--
especially in areas of chronic personnel shortage--by supporting 
projects that prepare special education, early intervention, and 
related services personnel at the baccalaureate, master's, and 
specialist levels. State demand for fully credentialed special 
education, early intervention, and related services personnel to serve 
infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities exceeds the available 
supply (Bruder, 2004a; Bruder, 2004b; McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008; 
McLeskey, Tyler, & Flippin, 2004). These shortages of fully 
credentialed personnel can negatively affect the quality of services 
provided to infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their 
families (McLeskey et al., 2004).
    Personnel preparation programs that prepare personnel to enter the 
fields of special education, early intervention, and related services 
as fully credentialed personnel who are well qualified, have the 
necessary competencies, and effectively use evidence-based practices to 
improve outcomes for children with disabilities are critical to 
overcoming the personnel shortages in these fields. Federal support of 
these personnel preparation programs is needed to increase the supply 
of personnel with the necessary competencies to effectively serve 
infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their families, 
and to make sure students with disabilities have access to and meet 
college- and career-ready standards.
    Consistent with the Ready to Work Initiative: Job-Driven Training 
and American Opportunity,\1\ the Department is particularly interested 
in supporting personnel preparation programs that meet the needs of 
working professionals, people with child care considerations, career 
switchers, or people living in geographically isolated areas in order 
to expand the reach of training programs and promote diversity in the 
special education workforce.
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    \1\ Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity 
(July 2014). Available at: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/skills_report.pdf.
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    Priority:
    Except as provided for Focus Area D projects that allow a one-year 
planning period, to meet this priority, an applicant must propose a 
project associated with a pre-existing baccalaureate, master's, or 
specialist degree personnel preparation program that will prepare and 
support scholars \2\ to complete, within the project period of the 
grant, a degree, State certification, professional license, or State 
endorsement in special education, early intervention, or a related 
services field. Projects also can be associated with personnel 
preparation programs that (a) prepare individuals to be assistants in

[[Page 62054]]

related services professions (e.g., physical therapist assistants, 
occupational therapist assistants) or educational interpreters; or (b) 
provide an alternate route to certification or that support dual 
certification (special education and regular education) for teachers. 
For purposes of this priority, the term ``personnel preparation 
program'' refers to the program with which the applicant's proposed 
project is associated.
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    \2\ For the purposes of this priority, the term ``scholar'' 
means an individual who is pursuing a degree, license, endorsement, 
or certification related to special education, related services, or 
early intervention services and who receives scholarship assistance 
under section 662 of IDEA (see 34 CFR 304.3(g)).
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    To be considered for funding under the Personnel Preparation in 
Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services absolute 
priority, all program applicants must meet the application requirements 
contained in the priority. All projects funded under this 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, regional, or district 
shortages of personnel who are fully qualified to serve children with 
disabilities, ages birth through 21, including high-need children with 
disabilities,\3\ by preparing special education, early intervention, or 
related services personnel at the baccalaureate, master's, or 
specialist levels. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
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    \3\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-need children with 
disabilities'' refers to children (ages birth through 21, 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, regional, 
or district data demonstrating the need for the personnel the applicant 
proposes to prepare; and
    (ii) Present data on the effectiveness of the personnel preparation 
program to date in areas such as: The average amount of time it takes 
for program participants to complete the program; the percentage of 
program graduates finding employment related to their preparation 
within one year of graduation; the effectiveness of program graduates 
in providing special education, early intervention, or related 
services, which could include data on the learning and developmental 
outcomes of children with disabilities they serve; and the percentage 
of program graduates who maintain employment for three or more years in 
the area for which they were prepared and who are fully qualified under 
IDEA.
    Note: Data on the effectiveness of a personnel preparation program 
should be no older than five years prior to the start date of the 
project proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the 
denominator (i.e., total number of students or program graduates) must 
be provided.
    (2) The project will increase the number of personnel who 
demonstrate the competencies needed to provide high-quality 
instruction, evidence-based interventions, and services for children 
with disabilities, ages birth through 21, including high-need children 
with disabilities, that result in improvements in learning and 
developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral), 
and successful transition to postsecondary education and the workforce. 
To address this requirement, the applicant must--
    (i) Identify the competencies \4\ that special education, early 
intervention, or related services personnel need in order to provide 
high-quality services using evidence-based instruction and 
interventions that will: Lead to improved learning and developmental 
outcomes; ensure access to college- and career-ready standards; lead to 
successful transition to college and career for children with 
disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities; and 
maximize the use of effective technology to deliver instruction, 
interventions, and services;
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    \4\ For the purposes of this priority, the term ``competencies'' 
means what a person knows and can do: The knowledge, skills, and 
dispositions necessary to effectively function in a role (National 
Professional Development Center on Inclusion, 2011). These 
competencies should ensure that personnel are able to use 
challenging national and State content standards, child achievement 
and functional standards, and State assessments, to improve 
instructional practices, services, and learning and developmental 
outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral) and 
college- and career-readiness of children with disabilities.
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    (ii) Demonstrate that the identified competencies are supported by 
evidence of promise \5\ that they will result in improved outcomes for 
children with disabilities; and
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    \5\ Under 34 CFR 77.1, ``evidence of promise'' means there is 
empirical evidence to support the theoretical linkage(s) between at 
least one critical component and at least one relevant outcome 
presented in the logic model for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice. Specifically, ``evidence of promise'' means 
the conditions in both paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this definition 
are met:
    (i) There is at least one study that is a--
    (A) Correlational study with statistical controls for selection 
bias;
    (B) Quasi-experimental design study that meets the What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations; or
    (C) Randomized controlled trial that meets the What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with or without reservations.
    (ii) The study referenced in paragraph (i) of this definition 
found a statistically significant or substantively important 
(defined as a difference of 0.25 standard deviations or larger) 
favorable association between at least one critical component and 
one relevant outcome presented in the logic model for the proposed 
process, product, strategy, or practice.
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    (iii) Provide the conceptual framework of the personnel preparation 
program, including any empirical support, that will promote the 
acquisition of the identified competencies (see paragraph (a)(2)(i) of 
this priority) needed by special education, early intervention, or 
related services personnel, and how these competencies relate to the 
proposed project.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Services,'' how--
    (1) The project will recruit and retain high-quality scholars and 
ensure equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who 
are members of groups who have traditionally been underrepresented 
based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To 
meet this requirement, the applicant 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, including individuals with disabilities;
    (iii) Describe strategies the applicant would use to recruit and 
retain working professionals, people with child care considerations, 
career switchers, or people living in geographically isolated areas to 
more easily participate in the proposed personnel preparation program, 
using the Job-Driven Checklist \6\ as a tool to maximize opportunities 
for job-driven training; and
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    \6\ Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity 
(July 2014). Available at: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/skills_report.pdf.
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    (iv) Describe the approach, including mentoring, monitoring, and 
accommodations, the applicant will use to support scholars to complete 
the personnel preparation program.

[[Page 62055]]

    (2) The project reflects current research and evidence-based 
practices, and is designed to prepare scholars in the identified 
competencies. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
    (i) Describe how the project will incorporate current research and 
evidence-based practices that improve outcomes (e.g., meeting college- 
and career-ready standards) for children with disabilities (including 
relevant research citations) into the project's required coursework and 
clinical experiences; and
    (ii) Describe how the project will use current research and 
evidence-based professional development practices for adult learners to 
instruct scholars.
    (3) The project is of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration 
to prepare scholars in the identified competencies. To address this 
requirement, the applicant must describe how--
    (i) The components of the proposed project (e.g., coursework, 
clinical experiences, or internships) will support scholars' 
acquisition and enhancement of the identified competencies;
    (ii) The components of the proposed project (e.g., coursework, 
clinical experiences, or internships) will be integrated to allow 
scholars to use their content knowledge in clinical practice, and how 
scholars will be provided with ongoing guidance and feedback; and
    (iii) The proposed project will provide ongoing induction 
opportunities and support to program graduates after completion of the 
personnel preparation program.
    (4) The project will collaborate with appropriate partners, 
including--
    (i) High-need LEAs; \7\ high-poverty schools; \8\ low-performing 
schools, including persistently lowest-achieving schools; \9\ priority 
schools (in the case of States that have received the U.S. Department 
of Education's (Department's) approval of a request for Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), flexibility); \10\ 
or publicly funded preschool programs, including Head Start programs 
and programs serving children eligible for services under IDEA Part C 
and Part B, Section 619, that are located within the geographic 
boundaries of a high-need LEA. The purpose of these partnerships is to 
provide clinical practice for scholars aimed at developing the 
identified competencies; and
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    \7\ For the 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.
    \8\ For the 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 (ESEA). 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).
    \9\ For the purposes of this priority, 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 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 [October 28, 
2010]) as part of a State's approved application 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 www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html.
    \10\ For the purposes of this priority, 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 ESEA 
flexibility.
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    (ii) Other programs on campus or at partnering universities for the 
purpose of sharing resources, supporting program development and 
delivery, and addressing personnel shortages.
    (5) The project will use technology, as appropriate, to promote 
scholar learning, enhance the efficiency of the project, collaborate 
with partners, and facilitate ongoing mentoring and support for 
scholars.
    (6) The project will align with and use resources, as appropriate, 
available through technical assistance centers, which may include 
centers funded by the Department.
    (c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Evaluation,'' how--
    (1) The applicant will use comprehensive and appropriate 
methodologies to evaluate the effectiveness of the project, including 
the effectiveness of project processes and outcomes.
    (2) The applicant will collect, analyze, and use data related to 
specific and measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project. 
To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) How scholar competencies and other project processes and 
outcomes will be measured for formative evaluation purposes, including 
proposed instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses; 
and
    (ii) How data on the quality of services provided by proposed 
project graduates, including data on the learning and developmental 
outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral, meeting 
college- and career-ready standards) and on growth toward these 
outcomes of the children with disabilities that the project graduates 
serve, will be collected and analyzed.
    Note: Following the completion of the project period, grantees are 
encouraged to engage in ongoing data collection activities.
    (3) The methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data for objective performance measures that are related to 
the outcomes of the proposed project.
    (4) The methods of evaluation will provide performance feedback and 
allow for periodic assessment of progress towards meeting the project 
outcomes. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe 
how--
    (i) Results of the evaluation will be used as a basis for improving 
the proposed project to prepare special education, early intervention, 
or related services personnel to provide high-quality interventions and 
services to improve outcomes of children with disabilities; and
    (ii) The grantee will report the evaluation results to the Office 
of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in its annual and final 
performance reports.
    (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative under ``Project Assurances,'' or 
appendices, as applicable, that the following program requirements are 
met. The applicant must--
    (1) Include, in the application as Appendix B, syllabi for all 
required coursework of the proposed project, including syllabi for new 
or proposed courses.

[[Page 62056]]

    (2) Ensure that the proposed number of scholars to be recruited 
into the program can graduate from the program by the end of the 
grant's project period. The described scholar recruitment strategies, 
including recruitment of individuals with disabilities, the program 
components and their sequence, and proposed budget must be consistent 
with this project requirement.
    (3) Ensure scholars will not be selected based on race or national 
origin/ethnicity. Per the Supreme Court's decision in Adarand 
Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200 (1995), the Department does 
not allow the selection of individuals on the basis of race or national 
origin/ethnicity. For this reason, grantees must ensure that any 
discussion of the recruitment of scholars based on race or national 
origin/ethnicity distinguishes between increasing the pool of 
applicants and actually selecting scholars.
    (4) Ensure that the project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR 
304.23, particularly those related to informing all scholarship 
recipients of their service obligation commitment. Failure by a grantee 
to properly meet these requirements would be a violation of the grant 
award that could result in sanctions, including the grantee being 
liable for returning any misused funds to the Department. Specifically, 
the grantee must prepare, and ensure that each scholarship recipient 
signs, the following two documents:
    (i) A Pre-Scholarship Agreement prior to the scholar receiving a 
scholarship for an eligible program (Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Control Number 1820-0686); and
    (ii) An Exit Certification immediately upon the scholar leaving, 
completing, or otherwise exiting that program (OMB Control Number 1820-
0686).
    (5) Ensure that prior approval from the OSEP project officer will 
be obtained before admitting additional scholars beyond the number of 
scholars proposed in the application and before transferring a scholar 
to another OSEP-funded grant.
    (6) Ensure that the project will meet the statutory requirements in 
section 662(e) through 662(h) of IDEA.
    (7) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total requested budget 
over the five years will be used for scholar support.
    (8) Ensure that the institution of higher education (IHE) will not 
require scholars enrolled in the program to work (e.g., as graduate 
assistants) as a condition of receiving support (e.g., tuition, 
stipends) from the proposed project, unless the work is specifically 
related to the acquisition of scholars' competencies and the 
requirements for completion of their personnel preparation program. 
This prohibition on work as a condition of receiving support does not 
apply to the service obligation requirements in section 662(h) of IDEA.
    (9) 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.
    (10) 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.
    (11) Ensure that annual data will be submitted on each scholar who 
receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary 
purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation 
fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to 
collect data for program performance measure reporting under the 
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). Applicants are 
encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program Data Collection 
System (DCS) Web site at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep 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, although 
grantees may submit data as needed, year round. 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). Data collection includes the 
submission of a signed, completed Pre-Scholarship Agreement and Exit 
Certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see 
paragraph (4) of this section, subparagraphs (i) and (ii)).
    Focus Areas:
    Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support 
projects under the following four focus areas: (A) Preparing Personnel 
to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with 
Disabilities; (B) Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with 
Low Incidence Disabilities; (C) Preparing Personnel to Provide Related 
Services to Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with 
Disabilities; and (D) Preparing Personnel in Minority Institutions of 
Higher Education to Serve Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, 
with Disabilities. Interdisciplinary projects are encouraged to apply 
under Focus Area A, B, C, or D. Interdisciplinary projects are projects 
that deliver core content through coursework and clinical experiences 
shared across disciplines.
    Note: Applicants must identify the specific focus area (i.e., A, B, 
C, or D) under which they are applying as part of the competition title 
on the application cover sheet (SF form 424, line 4). Applicants may 
not submit the same proposal under more than one focus area.
    Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel To Serve Infants, Toddlers, and 
Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund six 
awards under this focus area. For the purpose of Focus Area A, early 
intervention personnel are those who are prepared to provide services 
to infants and toddlers with disabilities ages birth to three, and 
early childhood personnel are those who are prepared to provide 
services to children with disabilities ages three through five (and in 
States where the age range is other than ages three through five, we 
will defer to the State's certification for early childhood). In States 
where certification in early intervention is combined with 
certification in early childhood, applicants may propose a combined 
early intervention and early childhood personnel preparation project 
under this focus area. We encourage interdisciplinary projects under 
this focus area. For purposes of this focus area, interdisciplinary 
projects are projects that deliver core content through coursework and 
clinical experiences shared across disciplines for early intervention 
providers or early childhood special educators and related services 
personnel to serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with 
disabilities. Projects preparing only related services personnel to 
serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities 
are not eligible under this focus area (see Focus Area C). Scholars in 
the program should be able to demonstrate the competencies outlined in 
a State's Workforce Knowledge and Competency Framework,\11\ as 
appropriate.
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    \11\ For the purposes of this priority, ``Workforce Knowledge 
and Competency Framework'' has the meaning given it in the notice 
inviting applications for new awards for FY 2013 Race to the Top-
Early Learning Challenge (78 FR 53992) published in the Federal 
Register on August 30, 2013: a set of expectations that describes 
what Early Childhood Educators (including those working with 
children with disabilities and English learners) should know and be 
able to do. The Workforce Knowledge and Competency Framework, at a 
minimum (a) is evidence-based; (b) incorporates knowledge and 
application of the State's Early Learning and Development Standards, 
the Comprehensive Assessment Systems, child development, health, and 
culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies for working 
with families; (c) includes knowledge of early mathematics and 
literacy development and effective instructional practices to 
support mathematics and literacy development in young children; (d) 
incorporates effective use of data to guide instruction and program 
improvement; (e) includes effective behavior management strategies 
that promote positive social-emotional development and reduce 
challenging behaviors; and (f) incorporates feedback from experts at 
the State's postsecondary institutions and other early learning and 
development experts and Early Childhood Educators.

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[[Page 62057]]

    Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel To Serve School-Age Children with 
Low Incidence Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund 14 awards under this 
focus area. For the purpose of Focus Area B, personnel who serve 
children with low incidence disabilities are special education teachers 
prepared to serve school-age children with low incidence disabilities, 
including visual impairments, hearing impairments, simultaneous visual 
and hearing impairments, significant intellectual disabilities, 
orthopedic impairments, traumatic brain injury, and persistent and 
severe learning and behavioral problems that need the most intensive 
individualized supports. Programs preparing special education teachers 
to provide services to children with visual impairments or blindness 
that can be appropriately provided in braille must prepare those 
individuals to provide those services in braille, including the Unified 
English Braille Code. Projects preparing educational interpreters are 
eligible under this focus area. We encourage interdisciplinary projects 
under this focus area. For purposes of this focus area, 
interdisciplinary projects are projects that deliver core content 
through coursework and clinical experiences shared across disciplines 
for special education teachers and related services personnel to serve 
school-aged children with low incidence disabilities. Projects 
preparing early intervention or preschool personnel are not eligible 
under this focus area (see Focus Area A).
    Focus Area C: Preparing Personnel To Provide Related Services to 
Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with Disabilities. OSEP 
intends to fund eight awards under this focus area. Programs preparing 
related services personnel to serve children, including infants and 
toddlers, with disabilities are eligible within Focus Area C. For the 
purpose of this focus area, related services include, but are not 
limited to, psychological services, physical therapy (including therapy 
provided by personnel prepared at the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) 
level), adapted physical education, occupational therapy, therapeutic 
recreation, social work services, counseling services, audiology 
services (including services provided by personnel prepared at the 
Doctor of Audiology (AuD) level), speech and language services, and 
applied behavior analysis services provided by personnel at the Board 
Certified Behavior Specialists level. Preparation programs in States 
where personnel prepared to serve children with speech and language 
impairments are considered to be special educators are eligible under 
this focus area. We encourage interdisciplinary projects under this 
focus area. For purposes of this focus area, interdisciplinary projects 
are projects that deliver core content through coursework and clinical 
experiences shared across disciplines for related services personnel 
who serve children, including infants and toddlers, with disabilities. 
Projects preparing educational interpreters are not eligible under this 
focus area (see Focus Area B).
    Focus Area D: Preparing Personnel in Minority Institutions of 
Higher Education To Serve Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, 
with Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund 10 awards under this focus 
area. Programs in minority IHEs are eligible under Focus Area D if they 
prepare one of the following: (a) Personnel to serve infants, toddlers, 
and preschool-age children with disabilities; (b) personnel to serve 
school-age children with low incidence disabilities, including those 
with persistent and severe learning or behavioral problems that need 
the most intensive individualized supports; or (c) personnel to provide 
related services to children, including infants and toddlers, with 
disabilities. Minority IHEs are IHEs with a minority enrollment of 50 
percent or more, which may include Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities, Tribal Colleges, and Predominantly Hispanic Serving 
Colleges and Universities. We encourage interdisciplinary projects 
under this focus area. For purposes of this focus area, 
interdisciplinary projects are projects that deliver core content 
through coursework and clinical experiences shared across disciplines 
for: (a) Early intervention providers or early childhood special 
educators and related services personnel who serve infants, toddlers, 
and preschool-age children with disabilities; (b) special education 
teachers and related services personnel who serve school-age children 
with low incidence disabilities; or (c) related services personnel who 
serve children, including infants and toddlers, with disabilities. 
Programs in minority IHEs preparing personnel in Focus Area A, B, or C 
are eligible within Focus Area D. Programs preparing high incidence 
special education personnel are not eligible under this priority.
    Note: In Focus Area D, OSEP intends to fund in FY 2016 at least 
three high-quality applications from Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities and, as a result, may fund applications out of rank order.
    Note: A project funded under Focus Area D may budget for less than 
the 65 percent required for scholar support if the applicant can 
provide sufficient justification for a designation less than this 
required percentage. Sufficient justification for proposing less than 
65 percent of the budget for scholar support would include support for 
activities such as program development, program expansion, or the 
addition of a new area of emphasis. Some examples of projects that may 
be eligible to designate less than 65 percent of their budget for 
scholar support include the following:
    (1) A project that is proposing to develop and deliver a newly 
established baccalaureate, master's, and specialist level personnel 
preparation program or add a new area of emphasis may request up to a 
year of funding for program development (e.g., hiring of a new faculty 
member or consultant to assist in course development, providing 
professional development and training for faculty). In the initial 
project year, scholar support would not be required. The project must 
demonstrate that the newly established program or area of emphasis is 
approved and ready for implementation in order to receive continuation 
funds in year two.
    (2) A project that is proposing to expand or enhance an existing 
program may request funding for capacity building (e.g., hiring of a 
clinical practice supervisor, providing professional development and 
training for faculty) or purchasing needed resources (e.g., additional 
teaching supplies or specialized equipment to enhance instruction).
    Note: Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add a 
new area of emphasis to special education or related services programs 
must provide, in their applications, information on how these new areas 
will be sustained once Federal funding ends.

References:

Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004a). The National Landscape of Early 
Intervention in Personnel Preparation Standards under Part C of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Study I Data 
Report). Farmington, CT: A. J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in 
Developmental Disabilities. Retrieved

[[Page 62058]]

from: www.uconnucedd.org/pdfs/projects/per_prep/pp_data_report_study1_partc_11_14_08.pdf.
Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004b). The National Landscape of Early 
Childhood Special Education in Personnel Preparation Standards under 
619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Study 
I Data Report). Farmington, CT: A.J. Pappanikou Center for 
Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Retrieved from: 
www.uconnucedd.org/pdfs/projects/per_prep/pp_data_report_study1_619_11_19_08%20ccs.pdf.
McLeskey, J., & Billingsley, B. (2008). How does the quality and 
stability of the teaching force influence the research-to-practice 
gap? Remedial and Special Education, 29(5), 293-305.
McLeskey, J., Tyler, N., & Flippin, S.S. (2004). The supply and 
demand for special education teachers: A review of research 
regarding the chronic shortage of special education teachers. 
Journal of Special Education, 38(1), 5-21.
National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (August, 
2011). Competencies for early childhood educators in the context of 
inclusion: Issues and guidance for States. Chapel Hill, NC: The 
University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute, 
Author.

    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. 1462 and 1481.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB 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. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply only to IHEs.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$83,700,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and 
Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2016, of which we 
intend to use an estimated $9,500,000 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 2017 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: See chart.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
    Maximum Award: See chart.
    Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
    Project Period: See chart.

[[Page 62059]]



                             Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities (84.325K) Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2016
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                   Maximum
                                                           Deadline for         Deadline for                          Estimated   award for   Estimated
      CFDA number and name            Applications        transmittal of      intergovernmental   Estimated range of   average   each budget  number of    Project  period      Contact person
                                       available           applications            review               awards         size of    period of     awards
                                                                                                                        awards    12 months
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.325K Personnel Preparation in  October 15, 2015...  December 14, 2015..  February 12, 2016...
 Special Education, Early
 Intervention, and Related
 Services.
Focus Area A: Preparing           ...................  ...................  ....................  $225,000-$250,000.   $237,500     $250,000          6  Up to 60 mos......  Maryann McDermott
 Personnel To Serve Infants,                                                                                                                                                 202-245-7439
 Toddlers, and Preschool-Age                                                                                                                                                 maryann.mcdermott@e
 Children With Disabilities.                                                                                                                                                  d.gov
                                                                                                                                                                             Potomac Center
                                                                                                                                                                              Plaza, Room 4062.
Focus Area B: Preparing           ...................  ...................  ....................  $225,000-$250,000.   $237,500    $250,000*         14  Up to 60 mos......  Maryann McDermott
 Personnel To Serve School-Age                                                                                                                                               202-245-7439
 Children With Low Incidence                                                                                                                                                 maryann.mcdermott@e
 Disabilities.                                                                                                                                                                d.gov
                                                                                                                                                                             Potomac Center
                                                                                                                                                                              Plaza, Room 4062.
Focus Area C: Preparing           ...................  ...................  ....................  $225,000-$250,000.   $237,500    $250,000*          8  Up to 60 mos......  Sarah Allen
 Personnel To Provide Related                                                                                                                                                202-245-7875
 Services to Children, Including                                                                                                                                             sarah.allen@ed.gov
 Infants and Toddlers, With                                                                                                                                                  Potomac Center
 Disabilities.                                                                                                                                                                Plaza, Room 4105.
Focus Area D: Preparing           ...................  ...................  ....................  $225,000-$250,000.   $237,500    $250,000*         10  Up to 60 mos......  Dawn Ellis
 Personnel in Minority                                                                                                                                                       202-245-6417
 Institutions of Higher                                                                                                                                                      dawn.ellis@ed.gov
 Education To Serve Children,                                                                                                                                                Potomac Center
 Including Infants and Toddlers,                                                                                                                                              Plaza, Room 4092.
 With Disabilities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.


[[Page 62060]]

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under 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.
    (b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified 
in an approved application.
    3. Other General Requirements: (a) Recipients of funding 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 for, and recipient of, funding 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 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 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: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.325K.
    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.
    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 
no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, 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. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit and double-spacing requirements do 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 page 
limit and double-spacing requirements do apply to all of Part III, the 
application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, 
graphs, and screen shots.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit in the 
application narrative section or if you apply standards other than 
those specified in the application package.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: October 15, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 14, 2015.
    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 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: February 12, 2016.
    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 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) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry), 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

[[Page 62061]]

allow sufficient time to obtain and 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: http://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 Personnel Preparation in Special 
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services competition, CFDA 
number 84.325K, 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 Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Personnel 
Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related 
Services competition 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 84.325K).
    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. 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.
     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.
     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--Non-
Construction 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, non-modifiable 
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a 
password-protected 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 project 
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.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department. 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

[[Page 62062]]

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 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 read-only, non-modifiable 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 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 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.
    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.
    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
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: Mary Ann McDermott, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4062, Potomac 
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2600. FAX: (202) 245-7617.
    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 84.325K), 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.
    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 84.325K), 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.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix 
letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification 
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this 
notification within 15 business days from the application deadline 
date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application 
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in

[[Page 62063]]

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 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. 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 specific 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.

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.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    4. Performance Measures: Under 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 Special Education Personnel Development projects 
that incorporate evidence-based practices into their curricula; (2) the 
percentage of scholars completing Special Education Personnel 
Development funded programs who are knowledgeable and skilled in 
evidence-based practices for infants, toddlers, children, and youth 
with disabilities; (3) the percentage of Special Education Personnel 
Development funded scholars who exit preparation programs prior to 
completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of 
Special Education Personnel Development funded degree/certification 
recipients who are working in the area(s) for which they were prepared 
upon program completion; (5) the percentage of Special Education 
Personnel Development funded degree/certification recipients who are 
working in the area(s) for which they were prepared upon program 
completion and who are fully qualified under IDEA; (6) the percentage 
of Special Education Personnel Development funded degree/certification 
recipients who maintain employment in the area(s) for which they were 
prepared for three or more years and who are fully qualified under 
IDEA; and (7) the Federal cost per fully qualified degree/certification 
recipient.
    In addition, the Department will gather information on the 
following outcome measures: (1) The number and percentage of degree/
certification recipients who are employed in high-need schools; (2) the 
number and percentage of degree/certification recipients who are 
employed in a school for at least two years; and (3) the number and 
percentage of degree/certification recipients who are rated as 
effective by their employers.
    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 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

[[Page 62064]]

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 Contacts

For Further Information Contact:  See chart in the Award Information 
section in this notice for the name, room number, telephone number, and 
email address of the contact person for each Focus Area of this 
competition. You can write to the Focus Area contact person at the 
following address: U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue 
SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2600.
    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 5037, Potomac Center Plaza, 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.thefederalregister.org/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 search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: October 9, 2015.
Michael K. Yudin,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-26290 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P



                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices                                                  62053

                                                  approval through the E-App system,                        Overview Information:                               children with disabilities exceeds the
                                                  along with documentation that the                         Personnel Development to Improve                    available supply (Bruder, 2004a; Bruder,
                                                  program has been reviewed and                           Services and Results for Children with                2004b; McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008;
                                                  approved by the QAE, is included in the                 Disabilities—Personnel Preparation in                 McLeskey, Tyler, & Flippin, 2004).
                                                  institution’s accreditation and State                   Special Education, Early Intervention,                These shortages of fully credentialed
                                                  authorization, and meets all other title                and Related Services                                  personnel can negatively affect the
                                                  IV, HEA eligibility requirements.                         Notice inviting applications for new                quality of services provided to infants,
                                                  Proposed programs will not be eligible                  awards for fiscal year (FY) 2016.                     toddlers, and children with disabilities
                                                  for access to title IV aid until the                    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance                and their families (McLeskey et al.,
                                                  Department’s final review and approval                  (CFDA) Number: 84.325K.                               2004).
                                                  in Phase Three is complete.                                                                                      Personnel preparation programs that
                                                     Accessible Format: Individuals with                  DATES: Applications Available: October                prepare personnel to enter the fields of
                                                  disabilities can obtain this document in                15, 2015.                                             special education, early intervention,
                                                  an accessible format (e.g., braille, large                Deadline for Transmittal of                         and related services as fully
                                                  print, audiotape, or compact disc) on                   Applications: December 14, 2015.                      credentialed personnel who are well
                                                  request to the contact person listed                      Deadline for Intergovernmental                      qualified, have the necessary
                                                  under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                           Review: February 12, 2016.                            competencies, and effectively use
                                                  CONTACT.                                                Full Text of Announcement                             evidence-based practices to improve
                                                     Electronic Access to This Document:                                                                        outcomes for children with disabilities
                                                  The official version of this document is                I. Funding Opportunity Description                    are critical to overcoming the personnel
                                                  the document published in the Federal                      Purpose of Program: The purposes of                shortages in these fields. Federal
                                                  Register. Free Internet access to the                   this program are to (1) help address                  support of these personnel preparation
                                                  official edition of the Federal Register                State-identified needs for personnel                  programs is needed to increase the
                                                  and the Code of Federal Regulations is                  preparation in special education, early               supply of personnel with the necessary
                                                  available via the Federal Digital System                intervention, related services, and                   competencies to effectively serve
                                                  at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you                 regular education to work with children,              infants, toddlers, and children with
                                                  can view this document, as well as all                  including infants and toddlers, with                  disabilities and their families, and to
                                                  other documents of this Department                      disabilities; and (2) ensure that those               make sure students with disabilities
                                                  published in the Federal Register, in                   personnel have the necessary skills and               have access to and meet college- and
                                                  text or Adobe Portable Document                         knowledge, derived from practices that                career-ready standards.
                                                  Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must                      have been determined through                             Consistent with the Ready to Work
                                                  have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is                     scientifically based research and                     Initiative: Job-Driven Training and
                                                  available free at the site.                             experience, to be successful in serving               American Opportunity,1 the Department
                                                     You may also access documents of the                 those children.                                       is particularly interested in supporting
                                                  Department published in the Federal                        Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR                personnel preparation programs that
                                                  Register by using the article search                    75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority is from               meet the needs of working
                                                  feature at: www.federalregister.gov.                    allowable activities specified in the                 professionals, people with child care
                                                  Specifically, through the advanced                      statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the              considerations, career switchers, or
                                                  search feature at this site, you can limit              Individuals with Disabilities Education               people living in geographically isolated
                                                  your search to documents published by                   Act (IDEA)).                                          areas in order to expand the reach of
                                                  the Department.                                            Absolute Priority: For FY 2016 and                 training programs and promote diversity
                                                     Delegation of Authority: The Secretary               any subsequent year in which we make                  in the special education workforce.
                                                  of Education has delegated authority to                 awards from the list of unfunded                         Priority:
                                                  Jamienne S. Studley, Deputy Under                       applications from this competition, this                 Except as provided for Focus Area D
                                                  Secretary, to perform the functions and                 priority is an absolute priority. Under 34            projects that allow a one-year planning
                                                  duties of the Assistant Secretary for                   CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only                    period, to meet this priority, an
                                                  Postsecondary Education.                                applications that meet this priority.                 applicant must propose a project
                                                                                                             This priority is:                                  associated with a pre-existing
                                                     Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094a(b).                                                                     baccalaureate, master’s, or specialist
                                                                                                             Personnel Preparation in Special
                                                    Dated: October 9, 2015.                               Education, Early Intervention, and                    degree personnel preparation program
                                                  Jamienne S. Studley,                                    Related Services.                                     that will prepare and support scholars 2
                                                  Deputy Under Secretary.                                    Background:                                        to complete, within the project period of
                                                  [FR Doc. 2015–26239 Filed 10–14–15; 8:45 am]               The purpose of the Personnel                       the grant, a degree, State certification,
                                                  BILLING CODE 4000–01–P                                  Preparation in Special Education, Early               professional license, or State
                                                                                                          Intervention, and Related Services                    endorsement in special education, early
                                                                                                          priority is to improve the quality and                intervention, or a related services field.
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION                                 increase the number of personnel who                  Projects also can be associated with
                                                                                                          are fully credentialed to serve children,             personnel preparation programs that (a)
                                                  Applications for New Awards;                            including infants and toddlers, with                  prepare individuals to be assistants in
                                                  Personnel Development To Improve                        disabilities—especially in areas of
                                                  Services and Results for Children With                  chronic personnel shortage—by                            1 Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and

                                                  Disabilities—Personnel Preparation in                                                                         American Opportunity (July 2014). Available at:
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                                                                                                          supporting projects that prepare special
                                                                                                                                                                www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/skills_
                                                  Special Education, Early Intervention,                  education, early intervention, and                    report.pdf.
                                                  and Related Services                                    related services personnel at the                        2 For the purposes of this priority, the term

                                                  AGENCY:  Office of Special Education and                baccalaureate, master’s, and specialist               ‘‘scholar’’ means an individual who is pursuing a
                                                                                                          levels. State demand for fully                        degree, license, endorsement, or certification
                                                  Rehabilitative Services, Department of                                                                        related to special education, related services, or
                                                  Education.                                              credentialed special education, early                 early intervention services and who receives
                                                                                                          intervention, and related services                    scholarship assistance under section 662 of IDEA
                                                  ACTION: Notice.
                                                                                                          personnel to serve infants, toddlers, and             (see 34 CFR 304.3(g)).



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                                                  62054                         Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices

                                                  related services professions (e.g.,                        outcomes of children with disabilities                   improved outcomes for children with
                                                  physical therapist assistants,                             they serve; and the percentage of                        disabilities; and
                                                  occupational therapist assistants) or                      program graduates who maintain                              (iii) Provide the conceptual
                                                  educational interpreters; or (b) provide                   employment for three or more years in                    framework of the personnel preparation
                                                  an alternate route to certification or that                the area for which they were prepared                    program, including any empirical
                                                  support dual certification (special                        and who are fully qualified under IDEA.                  support, that will promote the
                                                  education and regular education) for                          Note: Data on the effectiveness of a                  acquisition of the identified
                                                  teachers. For purposes of this priority,                   personnel preparation program should                     competencies (see paragraph (a)(2)(i) of
                                                  the term ‘‘personnel preparation                           be no older than five years prior to the                 this priority) needed by special
                                                  program’’ refers to the program with                       start date of the project proposed in the                education, early intervention, or related
                                                  which the applicant’s proposed project                     application. When reporting                              services personnel, and how these
                                                  is associated.                                             percentages, the denominator (i.e., total                competencies relate to the proposed
                                                     To be considered for funding under                      number of students or program                            project.
                                                  the Personnel Preparation in Special                       graduates) must be provided.                                (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative
                                                  Education, Early Intervention, and                            (2) The project will increase the                     section of the application under
                                                  Related Services absolute priority, all                    number of personnel who demonstrate                      ‘‘Quality of Project Services,’’ how—
                                                  program applicants must meet the                           the competencies needed to provide                          (1) The project will recruit and retain
                                                  application requirements contained in                      high-quality instruction, evidence-based                 high-quality scholars and ensure equal
                                                  the priority. All projects funded under                    interventions, and services for children                 access and treatment for eligible project
                                                  this absolute priority also must meet the                  with disabilities, ages birth through 21,                participants who are members of groups
                                                  programmatic and administrative                            including high-need children with                        who have traditionally been
                                                  requirements specified in the priority.                    disabilities, that result in improvements                underrepresented based on race, color,
                                                     The requirements of this priority are                   in learning and developmental                            national origin, gender, age, or
                                                  as follows:                                                outcomes (e.g., academic, social,                        disability. To meet this requirement, the
                                                     (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative                       emotional, behavioral), and successful                   applicant must—
                                                  section of the application under                           transition to postsecondary education                       (i) Describe the selection criteria the
                                                  ‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how—                      and the workforce. To address this                       applicant will use to identify high-
                                                     (1) The project addresses national,                     requirement, the applicant must—                         quality applicants for admission in the
                                                  State, regional, or district shortages of                     (i) Identify the competencies 4 that                  program;
                                                  personnel who are fully qualified to                       special education, early intervention, or                   (ii) Describe the recruitment strategies
                                                  serve children with disabilities, ages                     related services personnel need in order                 the applicant will use to attract high-
                                                  birth through 21, including high-need                      to provide high-quality services using                   quality applicants and any specific
                                                  children with disabilities,3 by preparing                  evidence-based instruction and                           recruitment strategies targeting high-
                                                  special education, early intervention, or                  interventions that will: Lead to                         quality applicants from traditionally
                                                  related services personnel at the                          improved learning and developmental                      underrepresented groups, including
                                                  baccalaureate, master’s, or specialist                     outcomes; ensure access to college- and                  individuals with disabilities;
                                                  levels. To address this requirement, the                   career-ready standards; lead to                             (iii) Describe strategies the applicant
                                                  applicant must—                                            successful transition to college and                     would use to recruit and retain working
                                                     (i) Present appropriate and applicable                  career for children with disabilities,                   professionals, people with child care
                                                  national, State, regional, or district data                including high-need children with                        considerations, career switchers, or
                                                  demonstrating the need for the                             disabilities; and maximize the use of                    people living in geographically isolated
                                                  personnel the applicant proposes to                        effective technology to deliver                          areas to more easily participate in the
                                                  prepare; and                                               instruction, interventions, and services;                proposed personnel preparation
                                                     (ii) Present data on the effectiveness                     (ii) Demonstrate that the identified                  program, using the Job-Driven
                                                  of the personnel preparation program to                    competencies are supported by evidence                   Checklist 6 as a tool to maximize
                                                  date in areas such as: The average                         of promise 5 that they will result in                    opportunities for job-driven training;
                                                  amount of time it takes for program                                                                                 and
                                                  participants to complete the program;                         4 For the purposes of this priority, the term
                                                                                                                                                                         (iv) Describe the approach, including
                                                  the percentage of program graduates                        ‘‘competencies’’ means what a person knows and
                                                                                                             can do: The knowledge, skills, and dispositions          mentoring, monitoring, and
                                                  finding employment related to their                        necessary to effectively function in a role (National    accommodations, the applicant will use
                                                  preparation within one year of                             Professional Development Center on Inclusion,            to support scholars to complete the
                                                  graduation; the effectiveness of program                   2011). These competencies should ensure that             personnel preparation program.
                                                  graduates in providing special                             personnel are able to use challenging national and
                                                                                                             State content standards, child achievement and
                                                  education, early intervention, or related                  functional standards, and State assessments, to            (B) Quasi-experimental design study that meets
                                                  services, which could include data on                      improve instructional practices, services, and           the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards
                                                  the learning and developmental                             learning and developmental outcomes (e.g.,               with reservations; or
                                                                                                             academic, social, emotional, behavioral) and               (C) Randomized controlled trial that meets the
                                                     3 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘high-need        college- and career-readiness of children with           What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards
                                                  children with disabilities’’ refers to children (ages      disabilities.                                            with or without reservations.
                                                                                                                5 Under 34 CFR 77.1, ‘‘evidence of promise’’
                                                  birth through 21, depending on the State) who are                                                                     (ii) The study referenced in paragraph (i) of this
                                                  eligible for services under IDEA, and who may be           means there is empirical evidence to support the         definition found a statistically significant or
                                                  further disadvantaged and at risk of educational           theoretical linkage(s) between at least one critical     substantively important (defined as a difference of
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                  failure because they: (1) Are living in poverty, (2)       component and at least one relevant outcome              0.25 standard deviations or larger) favorable
                                                  are far below grade level, (3) are at risk of not          presented in the logic model for the proposed            association between at least one critical component
                                                  graduating with a regular high school diploma on           process, product, strategy, or practice. Specifically,   and one relevant outcome presented in the logic
                                                  time, (4) are homeless, (5) are in foster care, (6) have   ‘‘evidence of promise’’ means the conditions in          model for the proposed process, product, strategy,
                                                  been incarcerated, (7) are English learners, (8) are       both paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this definition are      or practice.
                                                  pregnant or parenting teenagers, (9) are new               met:                                                       6 Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and

                                                  immigrants, (10) are migrant, or (11) are not on              (i) There is at least one study that is a—            American Opportunity (July 2014). Available at:
                                                  track to being college- or career-ready by                    (A) Correlational study with statistical controls     www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/skills_
                                                  graduation.                                                for selection bias;                                      report.pdf.



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                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices                                                62055

                                                    (2) The project reflects current                         States that have received the U.S.                           (c) Demonstrate, in the narrative
                                                  research and evidence-based practices,                     Department of Education’s                                 section of the application under
                                                  and is designed to prepare scholars in                     (Department’s) approval of a request for                  ‘‘Quality of Project Evaluation,’’ how—
                                                  the identified competencies. To address                    Elementary and Secondary Education                           (1) The applicant will use
                                                  this requirement, the applicant must—                      Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA),                           comprehensive and appropriate
                                                    (i) Describe how the project will                        flexibility); 10 or publicly funded                       methodologies to evaluate the
                                                  incorporate current research and                           preschool programs, including Head                        effectiveness of the project, including
                                                  evidence-based practices that improve                      Start programs and programs serving                       the effectiveness of project processes
                                                  outcomes (e.g., meeting college- and                       children eligible for services under                      and outcomes.
                                                  career-ready standards) for children                       IDEA Part C and Part B, Section 619,                         (2) The applicant will collect, analyze,
                                                  with disabilities (including relevant                      that are located within the geographic                    and use data related to specific and
                                                  research citations) into the project’s                     boundaries of a high-need LEA. The                        measurable goals, objectives, and
                                                  required coursework and clinical                           purpose of these partnerships is to                       outcomes of the project. To address this
                                                  experiences; and                                           provide clinical practice for scholars                    requirement, the applicant must
                                                    (ii) Describe how the project will use                   aimed at developing the identified                        describe—
                                                  current research and evidence-based                        competencies; and                                            (i) How scholar competencies and
                                                  professional development practices for                        (ii) Other programs on campus or at                    other project processes and outcomes
                                                  adult learners to instruct scholars.                       partnering universities for the purpose                   will be measured for formative
                                                    (3) The project is of sufficient quality,                of sharing resources, supporting                          evaluation purposes, including
                                                  intensity, and duration to prepare                         program development and delivery, and                     proposed instruments, data collection
                                                  scholars in the identified competencies.                   addressing personnel shortages.                           methods, and possible analyses; and
                                                  To address this requirement, the                              (5) The project will use technology, as                   (ii) How data on the quality of
                                                  applicant must describe how—                               appropriate, to promote scholar                           services provided by proposed project
                                                    (i) The components of the proposed                       learning, enhance the efficiency of the                   graduates, including data on the
                                                  project (e.g., coursework, clinical                        project, collaborate with partners, and                   learning and developmental outcomes
                                                  experiences, or internships) will                          facilitate ongoing mentoring and                          (e.g., academic, social, emotional,
                                                  support scholars’ acquisition and                          support for scholars.                                     behavioral, meeting college- and career-
                                                  enhancement of the identified                                 (6) The project will align with and use                ready standards) and on growth toward
                                                  competencies;                                              resources, as appropriate, available                      these outcomes of the children with
                                                    (ii) The components of the proposed                      through technical assistance centers,                     disabilities that the project graduates
                                                  project (e.g., coursework, clinical                        which may include centers funded by                       serve, will be collected and analyzed.
                                                  experiences, or internships) will be                       the Department.                                              Note: Following the completion of the
                                                  integrated to allow scholars to use their                                                                            project period, grantees are encouraged
                                                  content knowledge in clinical practice,                       (a)(1) Any Title I school in improvement,              to engage in ongoing data collection
                                                  and how scholars will be provided with                     corrective action, or restructuring that—
                                                                                                                                                                       activities.
                                                  ongoing guidance and feedback; and                            (i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of
                                                                                                             Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or        (3) The methods of evaluation will
                                                    (iii) The proposed project will provide                  restructuring or the lowest-achieving five Title I        produce quantitative and qualitative
                                                  ongoing induction opportunities and                        schools in improvement, corrective action, or             data for objective performance measures
                                                  support to program graduates after                         restructuring in the State, whichever number of           that are related to the outcomes of the
                                                  completion of the personnel preparation                    schools is greater; or
                                                                                                                (ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate   proposed project.
                                                  program.                                                   as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60          (4) The methods of evaluation will
                                                    (4) The project will collaborate with                    percent over a number of years; and                       provide performance feedback and
                                                  appropriate partners, including—                              (2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but     allow for periodic assessment of
                                                    (i) High-need LEAs; 7 high-poverty                       does not receive, Title I funds that—
                                                                                                                                                                       progress towards meeting the project
                                                  schools; 8 low-performing schools,                            (i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of
                                                                                                                                                                       outcomes. To address this requirement,
                                                                                                             secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five
                                                  including persistently lowest-achieving                    secondary schools in the State that are eligible for,     the applicant must describe how—
                                                  schools; 9 priority schools (in the case of                but do not receive, Title I funds, whichever number          (i) Results of the evaluation will be
                                                                                                             of schools is greater; or                                 used as a basis for improving the
                                                     7 For the purposes of this priority, the term ‘‘high-      (ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate
                                                  need LEA’’ means an LEA (a) that serves not fewer          as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60       proposed project to prepare special
                                                  than 10,000 children from families with incomes            percent over a number of years.                           education, early intervention, or related
                                                  below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less             (b) To identify the lowest-achieving schools, a        services personnel to provide high-
                                                  than 20 percent of the children served by the LEA          State must take into account both—                        quality interventions and services to
                                                  are from families with incomes below the poverty              (i) The academic achievement of the ‘‘all
                                                  line.
                                                                                                                                                                       improve outcomes of children with
                                                                                                             students’’ group in a school in terms of proficiency
                                                     8 For the purposes of this priority, the term ‘‘high-   on the State’s assessments under section 1111(b)(3)       disabilities; and
                                                  poverty school’’ means a school in which at least          of the ESEA in reading/language arts and                     (ii) The grantee will report the
                                                  50 percent of students are eligible for free or            mathematics combined; and                                 evaluation results to the Office of
                                                  reduced-price lunches under the Richard B. Russell            (ii) The school’s lack of progress on those            Special Education Programs (OSEP) in
                                                  National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50          assessments over a number of years in the ‘‘all
                                                  percent of students are from low-income families as        students’’ group.
                                                                                                                                                                       its annual and final performance
                                                  determined using one of the criteria specified under          For the purposes of this priority, the Department      reports.
                                                  section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary         considers schools that are identified as Tier I or Tier      (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative
                                                  Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). For              II schools under the School Improvement Grants            under ‘‘Project Assurances,’’ or
                                                  middle and high schools, eligibility may be                Program (see 75 FR 66363 [October 28, 2010]) as
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                                                  calculated on the basis of comparable data from
                                                                                                                                                                       appendices, as applicable, that the
                                                                                                             part of a State’s approved application to be
                                                  feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school       persistently lowest-achieving schools. A list of          following program requirements are
                                                  under this definition is determined on the basis of        these Tier I and Tier II schools can be found on the      met. The applicant must—
                                                  the most currently available data (www2.ed.gov/            Department’s Web site at www2.ed.gov/programs/               (1) Include, in the application as
                                                  legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/                      sif/index.html.                                           Appendix B, syllabi for all required
                                                  121510b.html).                                                10 For the purposes of this priority, the term
                                                     9 For the purposes of this priority, the term           ‘‘priority school’’ means a school that has been
                                                                                                                                                                       coursework of the proposed project,
                                                  ‘‘persistently lowest-achieving schools’’ means, as        identified by the State as a priority school pursuant     including syllabi for new or proposed
                                                  determined by the State—                                   to the State’s approved request for ESEA flexibility.     courses.


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                                                  62056                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices

                                                     (2) Ensure that the proposed number                  completion of their personnel                         A, B, C, or D. Interdisciplinary projects
                                                  of scholars to be recruited into the                    preparation program. This prohibition                 are projects that deliver core content
                                                  program can graduate from the program                   on work as a condition of receiving                   through coursework and clinical
                                                  by the end of the grant’s project period.               support does not apply to the service                 experiences shared across disciplines.
                                                  The described scholar recruitment                       obligation requirements in section                       Note: Applicants must identify the
                                                  strategies, including recruitment of                    662(h) of IDEA.                                       specific focus area (i.e., A, B, C, or D)
                                                  individuals with disabilities, the                         (9) Ensure that the budget includes                under which they are applying as part
                                                  program components and their                            attendance of the project director at a               of the competition title on the
                                                  sequence, and proposed budget must be                   three-day project directors’ meeting in               application cover sheet (SF form 424,
                                                  consistent with this project requirement.               Washington, DC, during each year of the               line 4). Applicants may not submit the
                                                     (3) Ensure scholars will not be                      project.                                              same proposal under more than one
                                                  selected based on race or national                         (10) Ensure that if the project                    focus area.
                                                  origin/ethnicity. Per the Supreme                       maintains a Web site, relevant                           Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel To
                                                  Court’s decision in Adarand                             information and documents are in a                    Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-
                                                  Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200                format that meets government or                       Age Children with Disabilities. OSEP
                                                  (1995), the Department does not allow                   industry-recognized standards for                     intends to fund six awards under this
                                                  the selection of individuals on the basis               accessibility.                                        focus area. For the purpose of Focus
                                                  of race or national origin/ethnicity. For                  (11) Ensure that annual data will be               Area A, early intervention personnel are
                                                  this reason, grantees must ensure that                  submitted on each scholar who receives                those who are prepared to provide
                                                  any discussion of the recruitment of                    grant support (OMB Control Number                     services to infants and toddlers with
                                                  scholars based on race or national                      1820–0686). The primary purposes of                   disabilities ages birth to three, and early
                                                  origin/ethnicity distinguishes between                  the data collection are to track the                  childhood personnel are those who are
                                                  increasing the pool of applicants and                   service obligation fulfillment of scholars            prepared to provide services to children
                                                  actually selecting scholars.                            who receive funds from OSEP grants                    with disabilities ages three through five
                                                     (4) Ensure that the project will meet                and to collect data for program                       (and in States where the age range is
                                                  the requirements in 34 CFR 304.23,                      performance measure reporting under                   other than ages three through five, we
                                                  particularly those related to informing                 the Government Performance and                        will defer to the State’s certification for
                                                  all scholarship recipients of their                     Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). Applicants                early childhood). In States where
                                                  service obligation commitment. Failure                  are encouraged to visit the Personnel                 certification in early intervention is
                                                  by a grantee to properly meet these                     Development Program Data Collection                   combined with certification in early
                                                  requirements would be a violation of the                System (DCS) Web site at https://                     childhood, applicants may propose a
                                                  grant award that could result in                        pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information               combined early intervention and early
                                                  sanctions, including the grantee being                  about this data collection requirement.               childhood personnel preparation project
                                                  liable for returning any misused funds                  Typically, data collection begins in                  under this focus area. We encourage
                                                  to the Department. Specifically, the                    January of each year, and grantees are                interdisciplinary projects under this
                                                  grantee must prepare, and ensure that                   notified by email about the data                      focus area. For purposes of this focus
                                                  each scholarship recipient signs, the                   collection period for their grant,                    area, interdisciplinary projects are
                                                  following two documents:                                although grantees may submit data as                  projects that deliver core content
                                                     (i) A Pre-Scholarship Agreement prior                needed, year round. This data collection              through coursework and clinical
                                                  to the scholar receiving a scholarship for              must be submitted electronically by the               experiences shared across disciplines
                                                  an eligible program (Office of                          grantee and does not supplant the                     for early intervention providers or early
                                                  Management and Budget (OMB) Control                     annual grant performance report                       childhood special educators and related
                                                  Number 1820–0686); and                                  required of each grantee for                          services personnel to serve infants,
                                                     (ii) An Exit Certification immediately               continuation funding (see 34 CFR                      toddlers, and preschool-age children
                                                  upon the scholar leaving, completing, or                75.590). Data collection includes the                 with disabilities. Projects preparing only
                                                  otherwise exiting that program (OMB                     submission of a signed, completed Pre-                related services personnel to serve
                                                  Control Number 1820–0686).                              Scholarship Agreement and Exit                        infants, toddlers, and preschool-age
                                                     (5) Ensure that prior approval from                  Certification for each scholar funded                 children with disabilities are not
                                                  the OSEP project officer will be                        under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (4)                eligible under this focus area (see Focus
                                                  obtained before admitting additional                    of this section, subparagraphs (i) and                Area C). Scholars in the program should
                                                  scholars beyond the number of scholars                  (ii)).                                                be able to demonstrate the competencies
                                                  proposed in the application and before                     Focus Areas:                                       outlined in a State’s Workforce
                                                  transferring a scholar to another OSEP-                    Within this absolute priority, the                 Knowledge and Competency
                                                  funded grant.                                           Secretary intends to support projects                 Framework,11 as appropriate.
                                                     (6) Ensure that the project will meet                under the following four focus areas: (A)
                                                  the statutory requirements in section                   Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants,                    11 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘Workforce

                                                  662(e) through 662(h) of IDEA.                          Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children                  Knowledge and Competency Framework’’ has the
                                                     (7) Ensure that at least 65 percent of               with Disabilities; (B) Preparing                      meaning given it in the notice inviting applications
                                                                                                                                                                for new awards for FY 2013 Race to the Top-Early
                                                  the total requested budget over the five                Personnel to Serve School-Age Children                Learning Challenge (78 FR 53992) published in the
                                                  years will be used for scholar support.                 with Low Incidence Disabilities; (C)                  Federal Register on August 30, 2013: a set of
                                                     (8) Ensure that the institution of                   Preparing Personnel to Provide Related                expectations that describes what Early Childhood
                                                                                                                                                                Educators (including those working with children
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                                                  higher education (IHE) will not require                 Services to Children, Including Infants
                                                                                                                                                                with disabilities and English learners) should know
                                                  scholars enrolled in the program to                     and Toddlers, with Disabilities; and (D)              and be able to do. The Workforce Knowledge and
                                                  work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a                Preparing Personnel in Minority                       Competency Framework, at a minimum (a) is
                                                  condition of receiving support (e.g.,                   Institutions of Higher Education to                   evidence-based; (b) incorporates knowledge and
                                                  tuition, stipends) from the proposed                    Serve Children, Including Infants and                 application of the State’s Early Learning and
                                                                                                                                                                Development Standards, the Comprehensive
                                                  project, unless the work is specifically                Toddlers, with Disabilities.                          Assessment Systems, child development, health,
                                                  related to the acquisition of scholars’                 Interdisciplinary projects are                        and culturally and linguistically appropriate
                                                  competencies and the requirements for                   encouraged to apply under Focus Area                  strategies for working with families; (c) includes



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                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices                                            62057

                                                     Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel To                 counseling services, audiology services               Focus Area D. Programs preparing high
                                                  Serve School-Age Children with Low                      (including services provided by                       incidence special education personnel
                                                  Incidence Disabilities. OSEP intends to                 personnel prepared at the Doctor of                   are not eligible under this priority.
                                                  fund 14 awards under this focus area.                   Audiology (AuD) level), speech and                       Note: In Focus Area D, OSEP intends
                                                  For the purpose of Focus Area B,                        language services, and applied behavior               to fund in FY 2016 at least three high-
                                                  personnel who serve children with low                   analysis services provided by personnel               quality applications from Historically
                                                  incidence disabilities are special                      at the Board Certified Behavior                       Black Colleges and Universities and, as
                                                  education teachers prepared to serve                    Specialists level. Preparation programs               a result, may fund applications out of
                                                  school-age children with low incidence                  in States where personnel prepared to                 rank order.
                                                  disabilities, including visual                          serve children with speech and                           Note: A project funded under Focus
                                                  impairments, hearing impairments,                       language impairments are considered to                Area D may budget for less than the 65
                                                  simultaneous visual and hearing                         be special educators are eligible under               percent required for scholar support if
                                                  impairments, significant intellectual                   this focus area. We encourage                         the applicant can provide sufficient
                                                  disabilities, orthopedic impairments,                   interdisciplinary projects under this                 justification for a designation less than
                                                  traumatic brain injury, and persistent                  focus area. For purposes of this focus                this required percentage. Sufficient
                                                  and severe learning and behavioral                      area, interdisciplinary projects are                  justification for proposing less than 65
                                                  problems that need the most intensive                   projects that deliver core content                    percent of the budget for scholar
                                                  individualized supports. Programs                       through coursework and clinical                       support would include support for
                                                  preparing special education teachers to                 experiences shared across disciplines                 activities such as program development,
                                                  provide services to children with visual                for related services personnel who serve              program expansion, or the addition of a
                                                  impairments or blindness that can be                    children, including infants and toddlers,             new area of emphasis. Some examples
                                                  appropriately provided in braille must                  with disabilities. Projects preparing                 of projects that may be eligible to
                                                  prepare those individuals to provide                    educational interpreters are not eligible             designate less than 65 percent of their
                                                  those services in braille, including the                under this focus area (see Focus Area B).             budget for scholar support include the
                                                  Unified English Braille Code. Projects                     Focus Area D: Preparing Personnel in               following:
                                                  preparing educational interpreters are                  Minority Institutions of Higher                          (1) A project that is proposing to
                                                  eligible under this focus area. We                                                                            develop and deliver a newly established
                                                                                                          Education To Serve Children, Including
                                                  encourage interdisciplinary projects                                                                          baccalaureate, master’s, and specialist
                                                                                                          Infants and Toddlers, with Disabilities.
                                                  under this focus area. For purposes of                                                                        level personnel preparation program or
                                                                                                          OSEP intends to fund 10 awards under
                                                  this focus area, interdisciplinary                                                                            add a new area of emphasis may request
                                                                                                          this focus area. Programs in minority
                                                  projects are projects that deliver core                                                                       up to a year of funding for program
                                                                                                          IHEs are eligible under Focus Area D if
                                                  content through coursework and clinical                                                                       development (e.g., hiring of a new
                                                                                                          they prepare one of the following: (a)
                                                  experiences shared across disciplines                                                                         faculty member or consultant to assist in
                                                                                                          Personnel to serve infants, toddlers, and
                                                  for special education teachers and                                                                            course development, providing
                                                                                                          preschool-age children with disabilities;
                                                  related services personnel to serve                                                                           professional development and training
                                                                                                          (b) personnel to serve school-age
                                                  school-aged children with low                                                                                 for faculty). In the initial project year,
                                                  incidence disabilities. Projects                        children with low incidence disabilities,
                                                                                                          including those with persistent and                   scholar support would not be required.
                                                  preparing early intervention or                                                                               The project must demonstrate that the
                                                  preschool personnel are not eligible                    severe learning or behavioral problems
                                                                                                          that need the most intensive                          newly established program or area of
                                                  under this focus area (see Focus Area                                                                         emphasis is approved and ready for
                                                  A).                                                     individualized supports; or (c)
                                                                                                          personnel to provide related services to              implementation in order to receive
                                                     Focus Area C: Preparing Personnel To
                                                                                                          children, including infants and toddlers,             continuation funds in year two.
                                                  Provide Related Services to Children,
                                                                                                          with disabilities. Minority IHEs are IHEs                (2) A project that is proposing to
                                                  Including Infants and Toddlers, with
                                                                                                          with a minority enrollment of 50                      expand or enhance an existing program
                                                  Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund eight
                                                                                                          percent or more, which may include                    may request funding for capacity
                                                  awards under this focus area. Programs
                                                                                                          Historically Black Colleges and                       building (e.g., hiring of a clinical
                                                  preparing related services personnel to
                                                                                                          Universities, Tribal Colleges, and                    practice supervisor, providing
                                                  serve children, including infants and
                                                                                                          Predominantly Hispanic Serving                        professional development and training
                                                  toddlers, with disabilities are eligible
                                                                                                          Colleges and Universities. We encourage               for faculty) or purchasing needed
                                                  within Focus Area C. For the purpose of
                                                                                                          interdisciplinary projects under this                 resources (e.g., additional teaching
                                                  this focus area, related services include,
                                                                                                          focus area. For purposes of this focus                supplies or specialized equipment to
                                                  but are not limited to, psychological
                                                                                                          area, interdisciplinary projects are                  enhance instruction).
                                                  services, physical therapy (including
                                                                                                          projects that deliver core content                       Note: Applicants proposing projects
                                                  therapy provided by personnel prepared
                                                                                                          through coursework and clinical                       to develop, expand, or add a new area
                                                  at the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
                                                                                                          experiences shared across disciplines                 of emphasis to special education or
                                                  level), adapted physical education,
                                                                                                          for: (a) Early intervention providers or              related services programs must provide,
                                                  occupational therapy, therapeutic
                                                                                                          early childhood special educators and                 in their applications, information on
                                                  recreation, social work services,
                                                                                                          related services personnel who serve                  how these new areas will be sustained
                                                  knowledge of early mathematics and literacy             infants, toddlers, and preschool-age                  once Federal funding ends.
                                                  development and effective instructional practices to    children with disabilities; (b) special               References:
                                                  support mathematics and literacy development in
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                                                                                                          education teachers and related services
                                                  young children; (d) incorporates effective use of                                                             Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004a). The
                                                  data to guide instruction and program
                                                                                                          personnel who serve school-age
                                                                                                          children with low incidence disabilities;                 National Landscape of Early Intervention
                                                  improvement; (e) includes effective behavior                                                                      in Personnel Preparation Standards
                                                  management strategies that promote positive social-     or (c) related services personnel who                     under Part C of the Individuals with
                                                  emotional development and reduce challenging            serve children, including infants and
                                                  behaviors; and (f) incorporates feedback from                                                                     Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Study
                                                  experts at the State’s postsecondary institutions and
                                                                                                          toddlers, with disabilities. Programs in                  I Data Report). Farmington, CT: A. J.
                                                  other early learning and development experts and        minority IHEs preparing personnel in                      Pappanikou Center for Excellence in
                                                  Early Childhood Educators.                              Focus Area A, B, or C are eligible within                 Developmental Disabilities. Retrieved



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                                                  62058                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices

                                                      from: www.uconnucedd.org/pdfs/                        Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:                      II. Award Information
                                                      projects/per_prep/pp_data_report_                   Under the Administrative Procedure Act
                                                      study1_partc_11_14_08.pdf.                          (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department                     Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
                                                  Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004b). The                     generally offers interested parties the                 Estimated Available Funds: The
                                                      National Landscape of Early Childhood               opportunity to comment on proposed                    Administration has requested
                                                      Special Education in Personnel                      priorities. Section 681(d) of IDEA,                   $83,700,000 for the Personnel
                                                      Preparation Standards under 619 of the              however, makes the public comment                     Development to Improve Services and
                                                      Individuals with Disabilities Education             requirements of the APA inapplicable to               Results for Children with Disabilities
                                                      Act (IDEA) (Study I Data Report).                                                                         program for FY 2016, of which we
                                                                                                          the priority in this notice.
                                                      Farmington, CT: A.J. Pappanikou Center                                                                    intend to use an estimated $9,500,000
                                                      for Excellence in Developmental                       Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and
                                                                                                          1481.                                                 for this competition. The actual level of
                                                      Disabilities. Retrieved from:
                                                                                                                                                                funding, if any, depends on final
                                                      www.uconnucedd.org/pdfs/projects/per_                 Applicable Regulations: (a) The
                                                      prep/pp_data_report_study1_619_11_
                                                                                                                                                                congressional action. However, we are
                                                                                                          Education Department General                          inviting applications to allow enough
                                                      19_08%20ccs.pdf.                                    Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
                                                  McLeskey, J., & Billingsley, B. (2008). How                                                                   time to complete the grant process if
                                                                                                          34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86,
                                                      does the quality and stability of the                                                                     Congress appropriates funds for this
                                                                                                          97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines
                                                      teaching force influence the research-to-                                                                 program.
                                                                                                          to Agencies on Governmentwide
                                                      practice gap? Remedial and Special                  Debarment and Suspension                                Contingent upon the availability of
                                                      Education, 29(5), 293–305.                          (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as                funds and the quality of applications,
                                                  McLeskey, J., Tyler, N., & Flippin, S.S.                                                                      we may make additional awards in FY
                                                                                                          adopted and amended as regulations of
                                                      (2004). The supply and demand for                                                                         2017 from the list of unfunded
                                                      special education teachers: A review of
                                                                                                          the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c)
                                                                                                          The Uniform Administrative                            applications from this competition.
                                                      research regarding the chronic shortage
                                                      of special education teachers. Journal of           Requirements, Cost Principles, and                      Estimated Range of Awards: See
                                                      Special Education, 38(1), 5–21.                     Audit Requirements for Federal Awards                 chart.
                                                  National Professional Development Center on             in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and                       Estimated Average Size of Awards:
                                                      Inclusion. (August, 2011). Competencies             amended as regulations of the                         See chart.
                                                      for early childhood educators in the                Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The
                                                                                                                                                                  Maximum Award: See chart.
                                                      context of inclusion: Issues and guidance           regulations for this program in 34 CFR
                                                      for States. Chapel Hill, NC: The                    part 304.                                               Estimated Number of Awards: See
                                                      University of North Carolina, FPG Child               Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part                chart.
                                                      Development Institute, Author.                      86 apply only to IHEs.                                  Project Period: See chart.
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                       PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES (84.325K) APPLICATION NOTICE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016
                                                                                                                                                                       Maximum
                                                                                                              Deadline for                                Estimated
                                                                                     Deadline for                                                                      award for     Estimated
                                                             Applications                                     intergovern-           Estimated range of    average                                Project




VerDate Sep<11>2014
                           CFDA number and name                                     transmittal of                                                                    each budget     number                     Contact person
                                                              available                                          mental                   awards            size of                               period
                                                                                     applications                                                                     period of 12   of awards
                                                                                                                 review                                    awards       months

                      84.325K Personnel Preparation in       October 15,            December 14,              February 12,
                        Special Education, Early Interven-    2015.                   2015.                     2016.
                        tion, and Related Services.
                      Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel      ....................   .......................   ....................   $225,000–$250,000    $237,500       $250,000           6    Up to 60   Maryann McDermott




17:19 Oct 14, 2015
                        To Serve Infants, Toddlers, and                                                                                                                                           mos.      202–245–7439
                        Preschool-Age Children With Dis-                                                                                                                                                    maryann.mcdermott@ed.gov
                        abilities.                                                                                                                                                                          Potomac Center Plaza,
                                                                                                                                                                                                              Room 4062.




Jkt 238001
                      Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel      ....................   .......................   ....................   $225,000–$250,000    $237,500      $250,000*          14    Up to 60   Maryann McDermott
                        To Serve School-Age Children                                                                                                                                              mos.      202–245–7439
                        With Low Incidence Disabilities.                                                                                                                                                    maryann.mcdermott@ed.gov
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Potomac Center Plaza,




PO 00000
                                                                                                                                                                                                              Room 4062.
                      Focus Area C: Preparing Personnel      ....................   .......................   ....................   $225,000–$250,000    $237,500      $250,000*           8    Up to 60   Sarah Allen
                        To Provide Related Services to                                                                                                                                            mos.      202–245–7875
                        Children, Including Infants and                                                                                                                                                     sarah.allen@ed.gov




Frm 00048
                        Toddlers, With Disabilities.                                                                                                                                                        Potomac Center Plaza,
                                                                                                                                                                                                              Room 4105.
                      Focus Area D: Preparing Personnel      ....................   .......................   ....................   $225,000–$250,000    $237,500      $250,000*          10    Up to 60   Dawn Ellis
                        in Minority Institutions of Higher                                                                                                                                        mos.      202–245–6417




Fmt 4703
                        Education To Serve Children, In-                                                                                                                                                    dawn.ellis@ed.gov
                        cluding Infants and Toddlers, With                                                                                                                                                  Potomac Center Plaza,
                        Disabilities.                                                                                                                                                                         Room 4092.




Sfmt 4703
                        * We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.
                        Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.




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15OCN1
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       62059


                                                  62060                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices

                                                  III. Eligibility Information                               Page Limit: The application narrative              under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
                                                    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and                      (Part III of the application) is where you,           CONTACT in section VII of this notice.  If
                                                  private nonprofit organizations.                        the applicant, address the selection                  the Department provides an
                                                    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This                     criteria that reviewers use to evaluate               accommodation or auxiliary aid to an
                                                  program does not require cost sharing or                your application. You must limit Part III             individual with a disability in
                                                  matching.                                               to no more than 50 pages, using the                   connection with the application
                                                    3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under                    following standards:                                  process, the individual’s application
                                                  75.708(b) and (c) a grantee may award                      • A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ × 11″, on one side            remains subject to all other
                                                  subgrants—to directly carry out project                 only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom,             requirements and limitations in this
                                                  activities described in its application—                and both sides.                                       notice.
                                                                                                             • Double-space (no more than three                    Deadline for Intergovernmental
                                                  to the following types of entities: IHEs
                                                                                                          lines per vertical inch) all text in the              Review: February 12, 2016.
                                                  and private nonprofit organizations.
                                                                                                          application narrative, including titles,                 4. Intergovernmental Review: This
                                                    (b) The grantee may award subgrants
                                                                                                          headings, footnotes, quotations,                      program is subject to Executive Order
                                                  to entities it has identified in an
                                                                                                          reference citations, and captions, as well            12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
                                                  approved application.
                                                                                                          as all text in charts, tables, figures,               part 79. Information about
                                                    3. Other General Requirements: (a)
                                                                                                          graphs, and screen shots.                             Intergovernmental Review of Federal
                                                  Recipients of funding under this                           • Use a font that is 12 point or larger.           Programs under Executive Order 12372
                                                  program must make positive efforts to                      • Use one of the following fonts:                  is in the application package for this
                                                  employ and advance in employment                        Times New Roman, Courier, Courier                     competition.
                                                  qualified individuals with disabilities                 New, or Arial. An application submitted                  5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
                                                  (see section 606 of IDEA).                              in any other font (including Times                    regulations outlining funding
                                                    (b) Each applicant for, and recipient                 Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be                    restrictions in the Applicable
                                                  of, funding under this program must                     accepted.                                             Regulations section of this notice.
                                                  involve individuals with disabilities, or                  The page limit and double-spacing                     6. Data Universal Numbering System
                                                  parents of individuals with disabilities                requirements do not apply to Part I, the              Number, Taxpayer Identification
                                                  ages birth through 26, in planning,                     cover sheet; Part II, the budget section,             Number, and System for Award
                                                  implementing, and evaluating the                        including the narrative budget                        Management: To do business with the
                                                  project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of                    justification; Part IV, the assurances and            Department of Education, you must—
                                                  IDEA).                                                  certifications; or the abstract (follow the              a. Have a Data Universal Numbering
                                                  IV. Application and Submission                          guidance provided in the application                  System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer
                                                  Information                                             package for completing the abstract), the             Identification Number (TIN);
                                                                                                          table of contents, the list of priority                  b. Register both your DUNS number
                                                     1. Address To Request Application                    requirements, the resumes, the reference              and TIN with the System for Award
                                                  Package: You can obtain an application                  list, the letters of support, or the                  Management (SAM) (formerly the
                                                  package via the Internet or from the                    appendices. However, the page limit                   Central Contractor Registry), the
                                                  Education Publications Center (ED                       and double-spacing requirements do                    Government’s primary registrant
                                                  Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet,               apply to all of Part III, the application             database;
                                                  use the following address: www.ed.gov/                  narrative, including all text in charts,                 c. Provide your DUNS number and
                                                  fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.                  tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.            TIN on your application; and
                                                  To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write,                      We will reject your application if you                d. Maintain an active SAM
                                                  fax, or call: ED Pubs, U.S. Department                  exceed the page limit in the application              registration with current information
                                                  of Education, P.O. Box 22207,                           narrative section or if you apply                     while your application is under review
                                                  Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll                   standards other than those specified in               by the Department and, if you are
                                                  free: 1–877–433–7827. FAX: (703) 605–                   the application package.                              awarded a grant, during the project
                                                  6794. If you use a telecommunications                      3. Submission Dates and Times:                     period.
                                                  device for the deaf (TDD) or a text                        Applications Available: October 15,                   You can obtain a DUNS number from
                                                  telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1–877–                2015.                                                 Dun and Bradstreet at the following
                                                  576–7734.                                                  Deadline for Transmittal of                        Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/
                                                     You can contact ED Pubs at its Web                   Applications: December 14, 2015.                      webform. A DUNS number can be
                                                  site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at its                       Applications for grants under this                 created within one to two business days.
                                                  email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.                      competition must be submitted                            If you are a corporate entity, agency,
                                                     If you request an application package                electronically using the Grants.gov                   institution, or organization, you can
                                                  from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this                  Apply site (Grants.gov). For information              obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue
                                                  competition as follows: CFDA number                     (including dates and times) about how                 Service. If you are an individual, you
                                                  84.325K.                                                to submit your application                            can obtain a TIN from the Internal
                                                     Individuals with disabilities can                    electronically, or in paper format by                 Revenue Service or the Social Security
                                                  obtain a copy of the application package                mail or hand delivery if you qualify for              Administration. If you need a new TIN,
                                                  in an accessible format (e.g., braille,                 an exception to the electronic                        please allow two to five weeks for your
                                                  large print, audiotape, or compact disc)                submission requirement, please refer to               TIN to become active.
                                                  by contacting the person or team listed                 Other Submission Requirements in                         The SAM registration process can take
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                                                  under Accessible Format in section VIII                 section IV of this notice.                            approximately seven business days, but
                                                  of this notice.                                            We do not consider an application                  may take upwards of several weeks,
                                                     2. Content and Form of Application                   that does not comply with the deadline                depending on the completeness and
                                                  Submission: Requirements concerning                     requirements.                                         accuracy of the data you enter into the
                                                  the content of an application, together                    Individuals with disabilities who                  SAM database. Thus, if you think you
                                                  with the forms you must submit, are in                  need an accommodation or auxiliary aid                might want to apply for Federal
                                                  the application package for this                        in connection with the application                    financial assistance under a program
                                                  competition.                                            process should contact the person listed              administered by the Department, please


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                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices                                         62061

                                                  allow sufficient time to obtain and                     before the application deadline date is               and Events on the Department’s G5
                                                  register your DUNS number and TIN.                      provided later in this section under                  system home page at www.G5.gov.
                                                  We strongly recommend that you                          Exception to Electronic Submission                       • You will not receive additional
                                                  register early.                                         Requirement.                                          point value because you submit your
                                                     Note: Once your SAM registration is                     You may access the electronic grant                application in electronic format, nor
                                                  active, it may be 24 to 48 hours before                 application for the Personnel                         will we penalize you if you qualify for
                                                  you can access the information in, and                  Preparation in Special Education, Early               an exception to the electronic
                                                  submit an application through,                          Intervention, and Related Services                    submission requirement, as described
                                                  Grants.gov.                                             competition at www.Grants.gov. You                    elsewhere in this section, and submit
                                                     If you are currently registered with                 must search for the downloadable                      your application in paper format.
                                                  SAM, you may not need to make any                       application package for this program by                  • You must submit all documents
                                                  changes. However, please make certain                   the CFDA number. Do not include the                   electronically, including all information
                                                  that the TIN associated with your DUNS                  CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your                    you typically provide on the following
                                                  number is correct. Also note that you                   search (e.g., search for 84.325, not                  forms: The Application for Federal
                                                  will need to update your registration                   84.325K).                                             Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
                                                  annually. This may take three or more                      Please note the following:                         Education Supplemental Information for
                                                  business days.                                             • When you enter the Grants.gov site,              SF 424, Budget Information—Non-
                                                     Information about SAM is available at                                                                      Construction Programs (ED 524), and all
                                                                                                          you will find information about
                                                  www.SAM.gov. To further assist you                                                                            necessary assurances and certifications.
                                                                                                          submitting an application electronically
                                                  with obtaining and registering your                                                                              • You must upload any narrative
                                                                                                          through the site, as well as the hours of
                                                  DUNS number and TIN in SAM or                                                                                 sections and all other attachments to
                                                                                                          operation.
                                                  updating your existing SAM account,                                                                           your application as files in a read-only,
                                                                                                             • Applications received by Grants.gov              non-modifiable Portable Document
                                                  we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet,
                                                                                                          are date and time stamped. Your                       Format (PDF). Do not upload an
                                                  which you can find at: http://
                                                                                                          application must be fully uploaded and                interactive or fillable PDF file. If you
                                                  www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-
                                                                                                          submitted and must be date and time                   upload a file type other than a read-
                                                  faqs.html.
                                                     In addition, if you are submitting your              stamped by the Grants.gov system no                   only, non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word,
                                                  application via Grants.gov, you must (1)                later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC               Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a
                                                  be designated by your organization as an                time, on the application deadline date.               password-protected file, we will not
                                                  Authorized Organization Representative                  Except as otherwise noted in this                     review that material. Please note that
                                                  (AOR); and (2) register yourself with                   section, we will not accept your                      this could result in your application not
                                                  Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these                  application if it is received—that is, date           being considered for funding because
                                                  steps are outlined at the following                     and time stamped by the Grants.gov                    the material in question—for example,
                                                  Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/                    system—after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington,                the project narrative—is critical to a
                                                  web/grants/register.html.                               DC time, on the application deadline                  meaningful review of your proposal. For
                                                     7. Other Submission Requirements:                    date. We do not consider an application               that reason it is important to allow
                                                  Applications for grants under this                      that does not comply with the deadline                yourself adequate time to upload all
                                                  competition must be submitted                           requirements. When we retrieve your                   material as PDF files. The Department
                                                  electronically unless you qualify for an                application from Grants.gov, we will                  will not convert material from other
                                                  exception to this requirement in                        notify you if we are rejecting your                   formats to PDF. Additional, detailed
                                                  accordance with the instructions in this                application because it was date and time              information on how to attach files is in
                                                  section.                                                stamped by the Grants.gov system after                the application instructions.
                                                     a. Electronic Submission of                          4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on                    • Your electronic application must
                                                  Applications.                                           the application deadline date.                        comply with any page-limit
                                                     Applications for grants under the                       • The amount of time it can take to                requirements described in this notice.
                                                  Personnel Preparation in Special                        upload an application will vary                          • After you electronically submit
                                                  Education, Early Intervention, and                      depending on a variety of factors,                    your application, you will receive from
                                                  Related Services competition, CFDA                      including the size of the application and             Grants.gov an automatic notification of
                                                  number 84.325K, must be submitted                       the speed of your Internet connection.                receipt that contains a Grants.gov
                                                  electronically using the                                Therefore, we strongly recommend that                 tracking number. This notification
                                                  Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site                    you do not wait until the application                 indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not
                                                  at www.Grants.gov. Through this site,                   deadline date to begin the submission                 receipt by the Department. Grants.gov
                                                  you will be able to download a copy of                  process through Grants.gov. In addition,              will also notify you automatically by
                                                  the application package, complete it                    for specific guidance and procedures for              email if your application met all the
                                                  offline, and then upload and submit                     submitting an application through                     Grants.gov validation requirements or if
                                                  your application. You may not email an                  Grants.gov, please refer to the                       there were any errors (such as
                                                  electronic copy of a grant application to               Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/               submission of your application by
                                                  us.                                                     web/grants/applicants/apply-for-                      someone other than a registered
                                                     We will reject your application if you               grants.html.                                          Authorized Organization
                                                  submit it in paper format unless, as                       • You should review and follow the                 Representative, or inclusion of an
                                                  described elsewhere in this section, you                Education Submission Procedures for                   attachment with a file name that
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                                                  qualify for one of the exceptions to the                submitting an application through                     contains special characters). You will be
                                                  electronic submission requirement and                   Grants.gov that are included in the                   given an opportunity to correct any
                                                  submit, no later than two weeks before                  application package for this competition              errors and resubmit, but you must still
                                                  the application deadline date, a written                to ensure that you submit your                        meet the deadline for submission of
                                                  statement to the Department that you                    application in a timely manner to the                 applications.
                                                  qualify for one of these exceptions.                    Grants.gov system. You can also find the                 Once your application is successfully
                                                  Further information regarding                           Education Submission Procedures                       validated by Grants.gov, the Department
                                                  calculation of the date that is two weeks               pertaining to Grants.gov under News                   will retrieve your application from


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                                                  62062                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices

                                                  Grants.gov and send you an email with                   fully register to submit your application                (2) A legible mail receipt with the
                                                  a unique PR/Award number for your                       to Grants.gov before the application                  date of mailing stamped by the U.S.
                                                  application.                                            deadline date and time or if the                      Postal Service.
                                                     These emails do not mean that your                   technical problem you experienced is                     (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or
                                                  application is without any disqualifying                unrelated to the Grants.gov system.                   receipt from a commercial carrier.
                                                  errors. While your application may have                    Exception to Electronic Submission                    (4) Any other proof of mailing
                                                  been successfully validated by                          Requirement: You qualify for an                       acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S.
                                                  Grants.gov, it must also meet the                       exception to the electronic submission                Department of Education.
                                                  Department’s application requirements                   requirement, and may submit your                         If you mail your application through
                                                  as specified in this notice and in the                  application in paper format, if you are               the U.S. Postal Service, we do not
                                                  application instructions. Disqualifying                 unable to submit an application through               accept either of the following as proof
                                                  errors could include, for instance,                     the Grants.gov system because—                        of mailing:
                                                  failure to upload attachments in a read-                                                                         (1) A private metered postmark.
                                                                                                             • You do not have access to the                       (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by
                                                  only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to                    Internet; or
                                                  submit a required part of the                                                                                 the U.S. Postal Service.
                                                                                                             • You do not have the capacity to                     Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not
                                                  application; or failure to meet applicant
                                                                                                          upload large documents to the                         uniformly provide a dated postmark.
                                                  eligibility requirements. It is your
                                                                                                          Grants.gov system;                                    Before relying on this method, you
                                                  responsibility to ensure that your
                                                  submitted application has met all of the                   and                                                should check with your local post
                                                  Department’s requirements.                                 • No later than two weeks before the               office.
                                                     • We may request that you provide us                 application deadline date (14 calendar                   We will not consider applications
                                                  original signatures on forms at a later                 days or, if the fourteenth calendar day               postmarked after the application
                                                  date.                                                   before the application deadline date                  deadline date.
                                                     Application Deadline Date Extension                  falls on a Federal holiday, the next                     c. Submission of Paper Applications
                                                  in Case of Technical Issues With the                    business day following the Federal                    by Hand Delivery.
                                                  Grants.gov System: If you are                           holiday), you mail or fax a written                      If you qualify for an exception to the
                                                  experiencing problems submitting your                   statement to the Department, explaining               electronic submission requirement, you
                                                  application through Grants.gov, please                  which of the two grounds for an                       (or a courier service) may deliver your
                                                  contact the Grants.gov Support Desk,                    exception prevents you from using the                 paper application to the Department by
                                                  toll free, at 1–800–518–4726. You must                  Internet to submit your application.                  hand. You must deliver the original and
                                                  obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case                                                                         two copies of your application by hand,
                                                                                                             If you mail your written statement to
                                                  Number and must keep a record of it.                                                                          on or before the application deadline
                                                                                                          the Department, it must be postmarked                 date, to the Department at the following
                                                     If you are prevented from                            no later than two weeks before the
                                                  electronically submitting your                                                                                address: U.S. Department of Education,
                                                                                                          application deadline date. If you fax                 Application Control Center, Attention:
                                                  application on the application deadline                 your written statement to the
                                                  date because of technical problems with                                                                       (CFDA Number 84.325K), 550 12th
                                                                                                          Department, we must receive the faxed                 Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center
                                                  the Grants.gov system, we will grant you                statement no later than two weeks
                                                  an extension until 4:30:00 p.m.,                                                                              Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–4260.
                                                                                                          before the application deadline date.                    The Application Control Center
                                                  Washington, DC time, the following                         Address and mail or fax your                       accepts hand deliveries daily between
                                                  business day to enable you to transmit                  statement to: Mary Ann McDermott,                     8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington,
                                                  your application electronically or by                   U.S. Department of Education, 400                     DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays,
                                                  hand delivery. You also may mail your                   Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4062,                       and Federal holidays.
                                                  application by following the mailing                    Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC                     Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of
                                                  instructions described elsewhere in this                20202–2600. FAX: (202) 245–7617.                      Paper Applications: If you mail or hand
                                                  notice.                                                    Your paper application must be                     deliver your application to the
                                                     If you submit an application after
                                                                                                          submitted in accordance with the mail                 Department—
                                                  4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on                                                                            (1) You must indicate on the envelope
                                                                                                          or hand delivery instructions described
                                                  the application deadline date, please                                                                         and—if not provided by the
                                                                                                          in this notice.
                                                  contact the person listed under FOR                                                                           Department—in Item 11 of the SF 424
                                                  FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in
                                                                                                             b. Submission of Paper Applications
                                                                                                          by Mail.                                              the CFDA number, including suffix
                                                  section VII of this notice and provide an                                                                     letter, if any, of the competition under
                                                  explanation of the technical problem                       If you qualify for an exception to the
                                                                                                          electronic submission requirement, you                which you are submitting your
                                                  you experienced with Grants.gov, along                                                                        application; and
                                                  with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case                   may mail (through the U.S. Postal
                                                                                                                                                                   (2) The Application Control Center
                                                  Number. We will accept your                             Service or a commercial carrier) your
                                                                                                                                                                will mail to you a notification of receipt
                                                  application if we can confirm that a                    application to the Department. You
                                                                                                                                                                of your grant application. If you do not
                                                  technical problem occurred with the                     must mail the original and two copies
                                                                                                                                                                receive this notification within 15
                                                  Grants.gov system and that the problem                  of your application, on or before the
                                                                                                                                                                business days from the application
                                                  affected your ability to submit your                    application deadline date, to the
                                                                                                                                                                deadline date, you should call the U.S.
                                                  application by 4:30:00 p.m.,                            Department at the following address:
                                                                                                                                                                Department of Education Application
                                                  Washington, DC time, on the                             U.S. Department of Education,
                                                                                                                                                                Control Center at (202) 245–6288.
                                                                                                          Application Control Center, Attention:
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                                                  application deadline date. We will
                                                  contact you after we determine whether                  (CFDA Number 84.325K), LBJ Basement                   V. Application Review Information
                                                  your application will be accepted.                      Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,                       1. Selection Criteria: The selection
                                                     Note: The extensions to which we                     Washington, DC 20202–4260.                            criteria for this competition are from 34
                                                  refer in this section apply only to the                    You must show proof of mailing                     CFR 75.210 and are listed in the
                                                  unavailability of, or technical problems                consisting of one of the following:                   application package.
                                                  with, the Grants.gov system. We will not                   (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service              2. Review and Selection Process: We
                                                  grant you an extension if you failed to                 postmark.                                             remind potential applicants that in


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                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices                                          62063

                                                  reviewing applications in any                           that does not meet the standards in 2                 Services and Results for Children with
                                                  discretionary grant competition, the                    CFR part 200, subpart D; has not                      Disabilities program. These measures
                                                  Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR                    fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant;            include: (1) The percentage of Special
                                                  75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the               or is otherwise not responsible.                      Education Personnel Development
                                                  applicant in carrying out a previous                                                                          projects that incorporate evidence-based
                                                                                                          VI. Award Administration Information
                                                  award, such as the applicant’s use of                                                                         practices into their curricula; (2) the
                                                  funds, achievement of project                              1. Award Notices: If your application              percentage of scholars completing
                                                  objectives, and compliance with grant                   is successful, we notify your U.S.                    Special Education Personnel
                                                  conditions. The Secretary may also                      Representative and U.S. Senators and                  Development funded programs who are
                                                  consider whether the applicant failed to                send you a Grant Award Notification                   knowledgeable and skilled in evidence-
                                                  submit a timely performance report or                   (GAN); or we may send you an email                    based practices for infants, toddlers,
                                                  submitted a report of unacceptable                      containing a link to access an electronic             children, and youth with disabilities; (3)
                                                  quality.                                                version of your GAN. We may notify                    the percentage of Special Education
                                                     In addition, in making a competitive                 you informally, also.                                 Personnel Development funded scholars
                                                  grant award, the Secretary requires                        If your application is not evaluated or            who exit preparation programs prior to
                                                  various assurances including those                      not selected for funding, we notify you.              completion due to poor academic
                                                  applicable to Federal civil rights laws                    2. Administrative and National Policy              performance; (4) the percentage of
                                                  that prohibit discrimination in programs                Requirements: We identify                             Special Education Personnel
                                                  or activities receiving Federal financial               administrative and national policy                    Development funded degree/
                                                  assistance from the Department of                       requirements in the application package               certification recipients who are working
                                                  Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4,                  and reference these and other                         in the area(s) for which they were
                                                  108.8, and 110.23).                                     requirements in the Applicable                        prepared upon program completion; (5)
                                                     3. Additional Review and Selection                   Regulations section of this notice.                   the percentage of Special Education
                                                  Process Factors: In the past, the                          We reference the regulations outlining             Personnel Development funded degree/
                                                  Department has had difficulty finding                   the terms and conditions of an award in               certification recipients who are working
                                                  peer reviewers for certain competitions                 the Applicable Regulations section of                 in the area(s) for which they were
                                                  because so many individuals who are                     this notice and include these and other               prepared upon program completion and
                                                  eligible to serve as peer reviewers have                specific conditions in the GAN. The                   who are fully qualified under IDEA; (6)
                                                  conflicts of interest. The standing panel               GAN also incorporates your approved                   the percentage of Special Education
                                                  requirements under section 682(b) of                    application as part of your binding                   Personnel Development funded degree/
                                                  IDEA also have placed additional                        commitments under the grant.                          certification recipients who maintain
                                                  constraints on the availability of                         3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a               employment in the area(s) for which
                                                  reviewers. Therefore, the Department                    grant under this competition, you must                they were prepared for three or more
                                                  has determined that for some                            ensure that you have in place the                     years and who are fully qualified under
                                                  discretionary grant competitions,                       necessary processes and systems to                    IDEA; and (7) the Federal cost per fully
                                                  applications may be separated into two                  comply with the reporting requirements                qualified degree/certification recipient.
                                                  or more groups and ranked and selected                  in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive                     In addition, the Department will
                                                  for funding within specific groups. This                funding under the competition. This                   gather information on the following
                                                  procedure will make it easier for the                   does not apply if you have an exception               outcome measures: (1) The number and
                                                  Department to find peer reviewers by                    under 2 CFR 170.110(b).                               percentage of degree/certification
                                                  ensuring that greater numbers of                           (b) At the end of your project period,             recipients who are employed in high-
                                                  individuals who are eligible to serve as                you must submit a final performance                   need schools; (2) the number and
                                                  reviewers for any particular group of                   report, including financial information,              percentage of degree/certification
                                                  applicants will not have conflicts of                   as directed by the Secretary. If you                  recipients who are employed in a school
                                                  interest. It also will increase the quality,            receive a multiyear award, you must                   for at least two years; and (3) the
                                                  independence, and fairness of the                       submit an annual performance report                   number and percentage of degree/
                                                  review process, while permitting panel                  that provides the most current                        certification recipients who are rated as
                                                  members to review applications under                    performance and financial expenditure                 effective by their employers.
                                                  discretionary grant competitions for                    information as directed by the Secretary                 Grantees may be asked to participate
                                                  which they also have submitted                          under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary                    in assessing and providing information
                                                  applications. However, if the                           may also require more frequent                        on these aspects of program quality.
                                                  Department decides to select an equal                   performance reports under 34 CFR                         5. Continuation Awards: In making a
                                                  number of applications in each group                    75.720(c). For specific requirements on               continuation award under 34 CFR
                                                  for funding, this may result in different               reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/                   75.253, the Secretary considers, among
                                                  cut-off points for fundable applications                fund/grant/apply/appforms/                            other things: Whether a grantee has
                                                  in each group.                                          appforms.html.                                        made substantial progress in achieving
                                                     4. Risk Assessment and Special                          (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the                    the goals and objectives of the project;
                                                  Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR                       Secretary may provide a grantee with                  whether the grantee has expended funds
                                                  200.205, before awarding grants under                   additional funding for data collection                in a manner that is consistent with its
                                                  this competition the Department                         analysis and reporting. In this case the              approved application and budget; and,
                                                  conducts a review of the risks posed by                 Secretary establishes a data collection               if the Secretary has established
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                                                  applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the                    period.                                               performance measurement
                                                  Secretary may impose specific                              4. Performance Measures: Under                     requirements, the performance targets in
                                                  conditions and, in appropriate                          GPRA, the Department has established a                the grantee’s approved application.
                                                  circumstances, high-risk conditions on a                set of performance measures, including                   In making a continuation award, the
                                                  grant if the applicant or grantee is not                long-term measures, that are designed to              Secretary also considers whether the
                                                  financially stable; has a history of                    yield information on various aspects of               grantee is operating in compliance with
                                                  unsatisfactory performance; has a                       the effectiveness and quality of the                  the assurances in its approved
                                                  financial or other management system                    Personnel Development to Improve                      application, including those applicable


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                                                  62064                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices

                                                  to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit                     Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is                        Project is available in the Notice of
                                                  discrimination in programs or activities                       available free at the site.                           Intent to Prepare an Environmental
                                                  receiving Federal financial assistance                           You may also access documents of the                Impact Statement for the Planned
                                                  from the Department (34 CFR 100.4,                             Department published in the Federal                   Alaska LNG Project and Request for
                                                  104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).                              Register by using the article search                  Comments on Environmental Issues
                                                  VII. Agency Contacts                                           feature at: www.federalregister.gov.                  (NOI), issued March 4, 2015. The NOI
                                                                                                                 Specifically, through the advanced                    describes the scoping process that is
                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:     See                       search feature at this site, you can limit            under way seeking public participation
                                                  chart in the Award Information section                         your search to documents published by                 in the environmental review of this
                                                  in this notice for the name, room                              the Department.                                       project. The public scoping meetings,
                                                  number, telephone number, and email                              Dated: October 9, 2015.                             listed on page 2, provide an opportunity
                                                  address of the contact person for each                                                                               to submit verbal comments in addition
                                                                                                                 Michael K. Yudin,
                                                  Focus Area of this competition. You can                                                                              to, or in lieu of, written comments on
                                                                                                                 Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
                                                  write to the Focus Area contact person                                                                               issues of environmental concern related
                                                                                                                 Rehabilitative Services.
                                                  at the following address: U.S.                                                                                       to the Alaska LNG Project. Both written
                                                                                                                 [FR Doc. 2015–26290 Filed 10–14–15; 8:45 am]
                                                  Department of Education, 400 Maryland                                                                                and verbal comments receive equal
                                                  Avenue SW., Potomac Center Plaza,                              BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
                                                                                                                                                                       consideration. Please note that the
                                                  Washington, DC 20202–2600.                                                                                           scoping period will close on December
                                                     If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the                                                                               4, 2015.
                                                  Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at                     DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
                                                                                                                                                                          Additional information about the
                                                  1–800–877–8339.
                                                                                                                 Federal Energy Regulatory                             project is available from FERC’s Office
                                                  VIII. Other Information                                        Commission                                            of External Affairs at (866) 208–FERC
                                                     Accessible Format: Individuals with                                                                               (3372) or on the FERC Web site
                                                                                                                 [Docket No. PF14–21–000]                              (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link.
                                                  disabilities can obtain this document
                                                  and a copy of the application package in                                                                             Click on the eLibrary link, click on
                                                                                                                 Alaska Gasline Development
                                                  an accessible format (e.g., braille, large                                                                           ‘‘General Search,’’ and enter the docket
                                                                                                                 Corporation; BP Alaska LNG, LLC;
                                                  print, audiotape, or compact disc) by                                                                                number, excluding the last three digits
                                                                                                                 Conoco Phillips Alaska LNG Company;
                                                  contacting the Grants and Contracts                                                                                  in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF14–
                                                                                                                 ExxonMobil Alaska LNG, LLC;
                                                  Services Team, U.S. Department of                                                                                    21). Be sure you have selected an
                                                                                                                 TransCanada Alaska Midstream, LP;
                                                  Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,                                                                                  appropriate date range. For assistance,
                                                                                                                 Notice of Public Scoping Meetings for
                                                  Room 5037, Potomac Center Plaza,                                                                                     please contact FERC Online Support at
                                                                                                                 the Planned Alaska LNG Project
                                                  Washington, DC 20202–2550.                                                                                           FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll
                                                  Telephone: (202) 245–7363. If you use a                          The staff of the Federal Energy                     free at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY,
                                                  TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at                      Regulatory Commission (FERC or                        contact (202) 502–8659. The eLibrary
                                                  1–800–877–8339.                                                Commission) will conduct public                       link also provides access to the texts of
                                                     Electronic Access to This Document:                         scoping meetings as part of their                     formal documents issued by the
                                                  The official version of this document is                       preparation of an environmental impact                Commission, such as orders, notices,
                                                  the document published in the Federal                          statement (EIS) for the Alaska LNG                    and rulemakings.
                                                  Register. Free Internet access to the                          Project involving construction and                    Schedule and Locations for the Alaska
                                                  official edition of the Federal Register                       operation of facilities by Alaska Gasline             LNG Project Public Scoping Meetings
                                                  and the Code of Federal Regulations is                         Development Corporation; BP Alaska
                                                  available via the Federal Digital System                       LNG, LLC; Conoco Phillips Alaska LNG                     The meetings will be recorded by a
                                                  at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you                        Company; ExxonMobil Alaska LNG,                       court reporter to ensure comments are
                                                  can view this document, as well as all                         LLC; and TransCanada Alaska                           accurately depicted on the public
                                                  other documents of this Department                             Midstream, LP (Applicants) in Alaska.                 record. The Commission invites you to
                                                  published in the Federal Register, in                            More information about the                          attend one of the following public
                                                  text or PDF. To use PDF you must have                          Commission’s EIS and the Alaska LNG                   scoping meetings in the project area.

                                                                             Date and Time                                                                             Location

                                                  October 27, 2015, 6:00 p.m ...............................................   Nikiski Recreation Center—Banquet Hall, Mile 23.4 Kenai Spur Hwy, Nikiski, AK
                                                                                                                                 99611.
                                                  October 27, 2015, 6:00 p.m ...............................................   Kaktovik Community Center, 2051 Barter Avenue, Kaktovik, AK 99747.
                                                  October 28, 2015, 6:00 p.m ...............................................   Houston High School, 12501 W. Hawk Lane, Houston, AK 99694.
                                                  October 28, 2015, 6:00 p.m ...............................................   Barrow Inupiat Heritage Center–Multipurpose Room, 5421 North Star Street, Barrow,
                                                                                                                                 AK 99723.
                                                  October 29, 2015, 6:00 p.m ...............................................   Trapper Creek Elementary School, 6742 Petersville Rd, Trapper Creek, AK 99683.
                                                  October 29, 2015, 6:00 p.m ...............................................   Nuiqsut Kisik Community Center, 2230 2nd Avenue, Nuiqsut, AK 99789.



                                                    AK LNG representatives will be                               have provided their comments or at 9                    Dated: October 8, 2015.
                                                  present one hour before the scoping                            p.m., whichever comes first.                          Kimberly D. Bose,
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                  meeting at all locations except Barrow,                          Additional meetings at other locations              Secretary.
                                                  Alaska with maps depicting the project                         are being scheduled. A supplemental                   [FR Doc. 2015–26187 Filed 10–14–15; 8:45 am]
                                                  and to answer questions. In Barrow, AK                         notice will be issued, announcing the                 BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
                                                  LNG representatives will be present one                        dates and times for these additional
                                                  hour after the scoping meeting. The                            meetings.
                                                  meetings will end once all speakers




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Document Created: 2018-02-27 08:52:16
Document Modified: 2018-02-27 08:52:16
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesApplications Available: October 15, 2015.
ContactSee chart in the Award Information section in this notice for the name, room number, telephone number, and
FR Citation80 FR 62053 

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