2021-326B application package - 508.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202

FISCAL YEAR 2022

APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS UNDER THE

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DISSEMINATION TO IMPROVE

SERVICES AND RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

(ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER/CFDA 84.326)

APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS;

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER ON POSITIVE SOCIAL,

EMOTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG

CHILDREN WITH, AND AT RISK FOR, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS

OR DISABILITIES

(ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER/CFDA 84.326B)

DATED MATERIAL: OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: MARCH 21, 2022

FORM APPROVED—OMB NO. 1820-0028, EXP. DATE: 07/31/2022

http://www.ed.gov/

GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER/CFDA 84.326B

CONTENTS

Applicant Letter ...................................................................................................................... A1

Notice Inviting Applications .................................................................................................. B1

Federal Register Notice ...................................................................................................... B2

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants ............................................. B35

Priority Description and Selection Criteria........................................................................... C1

Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.326B) .................................................... C2

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339. .... CError! Bookmark not defined.

Selection Criteria and Format for the Applications for New Awards— Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.325K) Competition ... CError! Bookmark not defined.

General Information on Completing an Application ............................................................ D1

Application Transmittal Instructions and Requirements for Intergovernmental Review ..................................................................................................... E1

Application Transmittal Instructions .................................................................................... E2

Appendix ................................................................................................................................ F1

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs ................................................................. F2

State Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) ............................................................................. F3

Notice to All Applicants Ensuring Equitable Access and Application Forms and Instructions ......................................................................................................... G1

Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) ............................................................ G6

Part II: Budget Information (Form 524) ............................................................................. G18

Part III: Application Narrative ............................................................................................ G27

Certification Regarding Lobbying .......................................................................... G28

Part IV: Additional Information .......................................................................................... G29

DUNS Number Instructions ................................................................................... G29

Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgement ........................................................ G29

Grant and Contract Funding Information ............................................................... G29

PAPERWORK BURDEN STATEMENT

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1820-0028. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 hours and 40 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain a benefit (P.L. 108-446, Sec. 650 and 682). If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, please contact the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Discretionary Grant Programs, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Potomac Center Plaza, room 5008C, Washington D.C. 20202-5076 or by phone at 202-245-7542.

A-1

APPLICANT LETTER

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Dear Applicant:

This application packet contains information and the required forms for you to use in submitting a new application for funding under one program authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This packet covers one competition under the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.326) program—Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities— Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.326B).

Please take the time to review all of the applicable requirements, definitions, selection criteria, and application instructions thoroughly. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or if the application does not contain the information required. (EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c)).

Please note the following:

• GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND SAM REGISTRATION.

Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (www.Grants.gov). Please read carefully the Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants document included on page B-34, which includes helpful tips about submitting electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site. Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete but could take as many as several weeks to complete. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov. You cannot submit an application through Grants.gov until Grants.gov has received your SAM registration information. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with SAM and Grants.gov, and strongly recommend that you register and submit early.

Applicants are required to upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word.

However, it is recommended that applicants upload files as read-only flattened PDFs.

Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version of Adobe are available on Grants.gov. Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing this grant competition. Information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically can also be found in section E of this application package, http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

A-3

Application Transmittal Instructions and Requirements for Intergovernmental Review.

Additional instructions for sending applications electronically are provided on page G-4, Application Forms and Instructions for Grants.gov Applications.

• MAXIMUM AWARD AMOUNT.

The competition included in this package has maximum award amounts. Please refer to the specific information for the priority/competition to which you are submitting an application (i.e., Section B of this package) for detailed budget information for the total grant period requested.

Please be advised that for the priority in this package, the maximum award amount covers all project costs including indirect costs.

• RECOMMENDED PAGE LIMITS AND LINE SPACING OF APPLICATION NARRATIVE.

The competition included in this package limits the Application Narrative to a recommended number of double-spaced pages. This recommended page limit and double-line spacing applies to all material presented in the application narrative. This recommended double-line spacing applies to all titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots, and logic models included in the application narrative. (Please refer to the specific recommendations on page limits for the priority/competition to which you are submitting an application, Section B of this package).

• FORMAT FOR OTHER SECTIONS OF THE APPLICATION.

Additional information regarding formatting applications has been included on Pages D-3 and D-4 of the “General Information on Completing an Application” section of this package.

Appendix A: Reviewers will be instructed to review the content of Appendix A as they do the application narrative. Reviewers will not be required to review any other appendices.

Charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots and logic models that provide information directly relating to the application requirements for the narrative should be the only items included in Appendix A. Appendix A should not be used for supplementary information. Please note that charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots, and logic models can be single-spaced when placed in an Appendix A.

Abstract: For the application Abstract, applicants should use the template located at:

https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.

• ABSOLUTE PRIORITY AND COMPETITIVE PREFERENCE PRIORITIES.

This competition includes one absolute priority. The Department will use peer reviewers to review and score applications on the selection criteria.

Prior to the peer review, Department staff will determine if an application has met the absolute priority and is eligible for peer review. An application that has not met the absolute https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html

A-4 priority will not be considered for funding and may not be reviewed. Department staff will assign competitive preference priority points to applications meeting the competitive preference priorities, up to a total of 5 points.

• PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH.

The discretionary grant Application Form SF-424 requires applicants to indicate whether they plan to conduct research involving human subjects at any time during the proposed project period. The Protection of Human Subjects in Research Attachment is an integral part of the SF-424 form. It includes information that applicants need to complete the protection of human subjects’ item and, as appropriate, to provide additional information to the Department regarding human subjects research projects. Additional information on completing the protection of human subjects item is also available and can be accessed on the internet at:

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html

• RESPONSE TO GPRA.

As required by the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed a strategic plan for measuring GPRA performance. The program included in this announcement is authorized under Part D - National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data on GPRA performance measures as directed by OSEP. See Performance Measures included in the Priority Description section of this application package. Applicants are encouraged to consider this information when preparing their applications.

• COPIES OF THE APPLICATION.

Unless you qualify for an exception in accordance with the instructions found in the Notice inviting applications, you must submit your application electronically. Therefore, you do not need to submit paper copies of the application. If you are granted an exception, current Government-wide policy requires that an original and two paper copies need to be submitted. Please note: If an application is recommended for funding and a grant award is issued, we will contact the applicant to request an electronic copy of the application in MS Word or a PDF file. The Department is moving toward an electronic grant filing system and an electronic copy of all applications that are being funded will facilitate this effort.

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OSEP also provides information on developing performance measures and logic models at https://www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel to assist you in preparing a quality application.

For information about other U.S. Department of Education grant and contract opportunities, we encourage you to use the Department's grant information web page which can be accessed on the internet at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html.

We appreciate your efforts to improve the provision of services for individuals with disabilities.

Sincerely, /s/ Lawrence J. Wexler, Ed.D.

Director Research to Practice Division Office of Special Education Programs https://www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html

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NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS

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FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program—Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities

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

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2022 for Technical Assistance and Dissemination to

Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities--Technical Assistance

Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.

DATES:

Applications Available: January 20, 2022.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 21, 2022.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 20, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common

Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and, in part, describe the transition from the requirement to register in SAM.gov a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to

B-3 the implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More information on the phase-out of

DUNS numbers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sunyoung Ahn, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 5012A, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6460. Email:

Sunyoung.Ahn@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the

Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Purpose of Program:

The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve results for children with disabilities by providing technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research.

Priorities:

This competition includes one absolute priority. In accordance with 34 CFR

75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 663 and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1463 and

1481(d)).

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf mailto:Sunyoung.Ahn@ed.gov

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Absolute Priorities:

For FY 2022 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:

Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities.

Background:

The beginning years of a child’s life are critical for building the early foundation of learning, health, and wellness. Responsive relationships and high-quality early care and education experiences are central to promoting young children’s social, emotional, and behavioral competence, which can lead to more success in school, relationships, and life

(Campbell et al., 2016; Jones et al., 2015). However, early childhood systems and programs that serve infants, toddlers, and preschool children (young children) with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities have struggled to systematically promote social, emotional, and behavioral competence and address behavioral challenges. According to a recent survey

(Smith et al., 2020), there is great variation in the capacity of State IDEA Part C programs to identify and meet the needs of infants and toddlers who have social-emotional delays, mental health conditions, or circumstances that put them at high risk of developing these difficulties.

Most States report a shortage of qualified personnel who can provide services or provide training on evidence-based models that support young children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development. In classroom settings, early childhood personnel frequently report that coping with challenging behavior is their most pressing training need and presents a barrier to including young children with disabilities into programs with their typically developing peers

(Brock & Beaman-Diglia, 2018; Snell et al., 2012).

The well-documented, and troubling, data on preschool expulsion and suspension as well as its disproportionate application highlights the need for early childhood personnel to build competencies on how to equitably support young children’s social, emotional, and behavior development. Early research by Gilliam (2005) showed that the rate of expulsion from State-funded pre-K programs was three times higher than that for K–12 programs. Later studies bolster these initial findings and demonstrate that suspension and expulsion from early

B-5 education disproportionately affect young boys of color (Gilliam & Reyes, 2018; Malik, 2017;

Meek & Gilliam, 2016).

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to improve the capacity of early childhood personnel and programs to promote young children's social, emotional, and behavioral competence. The pandemic is exposing many young children to added stressors, including reduced connection with peers, loss of family or community members, financial insecurity, or exacerbated physical or mental health needs of family members. Parents of young children with disabilities reported being more concerned about their children’s behavior, development, and learning; and feeling more anxious and depressed during the pandemic

(Center for Translational Neuroscience, 2020). Studies indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic’s social distancing restrictions have prompted a surge in the mental health needs of children

(West et al., 2021). Children of color are especially subject to significant stressors during the pandemic (Robles-Ramamurthy et al., 2021); however, they and their families have been less likely than their White counterparts to receive care or have access to services, placing them in an especially vulnerable position for social, emotional, and behavioral challenges (Stephenson, 2021). Because of these stressors, the President’s Executive Order 14000, Supporting the

Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers (86

FR 7215) identified the need for “trauma-informed care, and behavioral and mental health support,” and the “promotion of mental health and social-emotional well-being” in early childhood programs.

Meeting young children’s social, emotional, and behavioral needs requires a multi-faceted and multi-tiered approach. There is growing evidence that a multi-tiered system of support1 (MTSS) can yield positive outcomes in early childhood learning and social, emotional, and behavioral development (Blair et al., 2010; Hebbeler & Spiker, 2016; Sanford & Horner, 2013; Wackerle-Hollman et al., 2021). One of the foundational premises of MTSS is inclusive, high-quality instruction in general education settings or a child’s natural environments (Hebbeler

& Spiker, 2016). The flexible, tiered structure of an MTSS framework can allow early childhood

1 For the purpose of this priority, “multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS)” is a way to provide high-quality teaching and responsive caregiving through the delivery of differentiated support for all young children.

Four key practices in an early childhood MTSS include: (a) universal screening to determine which children may need additional services or supports, (b) differentiation of child goals or outcomes to clarify what individual skills children need to focus on, (c) tiered instruction or interventions to meet children’s need, and (d) ongoing progress monitoring to adjust instruction as needed (Division of Early Childhood, 2021).

B-6 personnel and system leaders to integrate intervention and support components based on the program’s needs and resources (Wackerle-Hollman et al., 2021) and ensure access, participation, and support for all young children in an early childhood program. Recently, there has been an effort to integrate trauma-informed2 approaches within MTSS frameworks to better support children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development (Eber et al., 2020; National

Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, 2021; Ormiston et al., 2021). To leverage the flexibility and inclusiveness of an MTSS framework, and to embed necessary trauma-informed supports for young children and their families, States and local early childhood systems and programs need to understand the key features of an MTSS framework and the supports needed to implement, scale-up, and sustain it. This includes building collaborative partnerships with community resources, including social service and health systems, to integrate necessary services within early childhood programs and scale-up and sustain effective practices.

The absolute priority is designed to accomplish these objectives. It is also aligned to the

Secretary’s priorities published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) in the area of meeting student social, emotional, and academic needs.

Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for

Young Children with, and At Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities. The Center will improve State and local capacity to implement, scale-up, and sustain effective practices and policies to equitably support the social, emotional, and behavioral development of young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities.

The Center must achieve, at a minimum, the following expected outcomes:

(a) Increased knowledge base on effective practices within, and implementation supports for, the equitable implementation of an early childhood MTSS framework that integrates necessary educational, social, and mental health services through partnerships and

2 For the purpose of this priority, “trauma-informed” means a program, organization, or system realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist retraumatization (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014).

B-7 collaboration with community resources; supports the inclusion of young children with disabilities across various settings; promotes family engagement; and embeds trauma-informed and culturally and linguistically responsive practices to promote positive and equitable social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for all young children, including children of color, with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities;

(b) Improved State infrastructures to support the capacity of local early childhood programs and personnel to implement, scale-up, and sustain the MTSS framework to equitably improve the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of all young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities and eliminate inappropriate, disproportionate, exclusionary, and ineffective discipline practices, such as suspension, expulsion, and seclusion and the inappropriate use of restraint that disproportionately impacts children of color and young children with disabilities.

(c) Increased capacity of State and local early childhood programs to develop policies and implement practices to address factors that influence disparities in early childhood social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, including, but not limited to, equitable access to services and supports for young children and families; impacts of adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress, and trauma on young children and families; and inappropriate and disproportionate discipline practices; and

(d) Improved capacity of State and local early childhood programs to collect and use data to measure progress towards meeting social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities at the child and program levels, and identifying any disparities across race, ethnicity, home language, and income levels within the data.

In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Significance,” how the proposed project will--

(1) Address the current and emerging needs of States, early childhood programs, and personnel to improve the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of all young children with, B-8 and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities through the implementation of an early childhood MTSS framework. To meet this requirement, the applicant must--

(i) Present applicable national or State data demonstrating the need to improve positive social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for all young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities, and the needs of States, early childhood programs, and personnel in equitably implementing an early childhood MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development;

(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of the current capacity of personnel to implement family engagement, trauma-informed, and culturally and linguistically responsive practices to promote positive and equitable social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for all young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities;

(iii) Demonstrate knowledge of current educational issues and policy initiatives relating to--

(A) Implementing and sustaining an early childhood MTSS framework that promotes positive and equitable social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for all young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities across early childhood systems and programs, including IDEA Part C and Part B, section 619, Head Start and Early Head Start, child care, and public preschool;

(B) Reducing disparities in early childhood social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, including through eliminating inappropriate and ineffective discipline practices, such as suspension, expulsion, and seclusion and the inappropriate use of restraint that disproportionately impacts children of color and young children with disabilities;

(C) Increasing inclusive opportunities for young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities; and

(D) Providing equitable access to educational, social, and mental health services to young children and families to promote the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities and the intersection of these services; and

(iv) Present information about the current level of State and local implementation of--

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(A) Early childhood MTSS frameworks focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development across early childhood systems and programs, including IDEA Part C and Part B, section 619, Head Start and Early Head Start, child care, and public preschool programs;

(B) Policies and practices to reduce disparities in early childhood social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, including through eliminating inappropriate and inequitable discipline practices, including suspension, expulsion, and seclusion, and the inappropriate use of restraint in early childhood programs;

(C) Activities to measure changes in social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes at the child and program levels and make data-based decisions to inform more equitable practices and policies; and

(D) Activities to support scaling-up and sustaining effective practices to improve social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities through key implementation drivers, including comprehensive preservice preparation, professional development and support, family engagement and support, and policy changes; and

(2) Improve State and local capacity to implement, scale-up, and sustain effective practices and policies to equitably support the social, emotional, and behavioral development of young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities, and indicate the likely magnitude or importance of the improvements.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of project services,” how the proposed project will--

(1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe how it will--

(i) Identify the needs of the intended recipients for TA and information; and

(ii) Ensure that services and products meet the needs of the intended recipients of the grant;

(2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet this requirement, the applicant must provide--

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(i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and

(ii) In Appendix A, the logic model3 (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) by which the proposed project will achieve its intended outcomes that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the proposed project;

(3) Use a conceptual framework (and provide a copy in Appendix A) to develop project plans and activities, describing any underlying concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as the presumed relationships or linkages among these variables, and any empirical support for this framework;

Note: The following websites provide more information on logic models and conceptual frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework; https://osepideasthatwork.org/evaluation?tab=eval-logic; and https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/central/pdf/REL_2021112.pdf.

(4) Be based on current research and make use of evidence-based practices (EBPs).4

To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) The current research on effective and equitable early childhood MTSS frameworks that promote positive social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes; family engagement, trauma-informed, and culturally and linguistically responsive practices to support young children’s social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes; service integration across education, social services, and health systems; systems change; and capacity building;

(ii) The current research about adult learning principles and implementation science that will inform the proposed TA; and

3 Logic model (34 CFR 77.1) (also referred to as a theory of action) means a framework that identifies key project components of the proposed project (i.e., the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational relationships among the key project components and relevant outcomes.

4 For the purposes of this priority, “evidence-based practices” means practices that, at a minimum, demonstrate a rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1), where a key project component included in the project’s logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes.

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(iii) How the proposed project will incorporate current research and practices in the development and delivery of its products and services;

(5) Develop products and provide services that are of high quality and sufficient intensity and duration to achieve the intended outcomes of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) How it proposes to identify or develop the knowledge base on effective practices within, and implementation supports for, an early childhood MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development across early childhood settings that--

(A) Integrates effective educational, social and mental health services to support equitable access to needed services for young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities and their families;

(B) Promotes family engagement and supports, including those for families that have been traditionally underrepresented;

(C) Embeds trauma-informed and culturally and linguistically responsive practices to promote positive and equitable social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for all young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities;

(D) Increases the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early childhood programs;

(E) Reduces disparities in early childhood social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, including through eliminating the use of inappropriate, disproportionate, exclusionary, and ineffective discipline practices in early childhood programs;

(F) Allows for the collection and use of data to inform decision-making and identify disparities in social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes; and

(G) Supports scaling-up and sustaining effective practices through key implementation drivers, such as preservice preparation, professional development and staffing support, family engagement and support, systems change, and policy changes;

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(ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,5 which must identify the intended recipients, including the type and number of recipients, that will receive the products and services, a description of the products and services that the Center proposes to make available, and the expected impact of those products and services under this approach. At minimum, the approach should include activities focused on--

(A) Identifying and developing resources and materials to increase the awareness of the benefits of implementing, scaling-up, and sustaining an early childhood MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development across early childhood systems and programs, and the importance of developing policies and practices to reduce disparities in early childhood social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes; and

(B) Identifying and developing materials, resources, and tools to help States, local early childhood programs, and providers increase their knowledge of an MTSS framework and implement effective policies and practices to support positive and equitable social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for all young children with, or at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities;

(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,6 which must identify--

(A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of recipients, that will receive the products and services, a description of the products and services that the Center proposes to make available, and the expected impact of those products and services under this approach;

5 “Universal, general TA” means TA and information provided to independent users through their own initiative, resulting in minimal interaction with TA center staff and including one-time, invited or offered conference presentations by TA center staff. This category of TA also includes information or products, such as newsletters, guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded from the TA center's website by independent users. Brief communications by TA center staff with recipients, either by telephone or email, are also considered universal, general TA.

6 “Targeted, specialized TA” means TA services based on needs common to multiple recipients and not extensively individualized. A relationship is established between the TA recipient and one or more TA center staff. This category of TA includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such as facilitating strategic planning or hosting regional or national conferences. It can also include episodic, less labor-intensive events that extend over a period of time, such as facilitating a series of conference calls on single or multiple topics that are designed around the needs of the recipients. Facilitating communities of practice can also be considered targeted, specialized TA.

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(B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of potential TA recipients to work with the project, assessing, at a minimum, their current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at the local level;

(C) The process by which the proposed project will collaborate with other federally funded TA centers, including those funded by OSEP and the Department of Health and Human

Services (HHS), that are focused on supporting the social, emotional, and behavioral development of young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities across various early childhood systems and programs; and

(D) Its proposed approach to increasing the engagement and leadership of State IDEA

Part C and Part B, section 619 coordinators to collaborate with other early childhood State leaders to develop and implement policies and practices that address factors that influence disparities in early childhood social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, including, but not limited to, eliminating the use of inappropriate, disproportionate, exclusionary, and ineffective discipline practices in early childhood programs and supporting equitable access to needed services and supports.

(iv) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,7 which must identify--

(A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of recipients, that will receive the services, a description of the services that the Center proposes to make available, and the expected impact of those services under this approach;

(B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of potential TA recipients to work with the project, assessing, at a minimum, their commitment to the initiative, alignment of the initiative to their needs, current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity within at the local level;

7 “Intensive, sustained TA” means TA services often provided on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship between the TA center staff and the TA recipient. “TA services” are defined as negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome. This category of TA should result in changes to policy, program, practice, or operations that support increased recipient capacity or improved outcomes at one or more systems levels.

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(C) Its proposed plan for assisting State early childhood systems to build or enhance professional development systems, including by engaging key preservice preparation programs and in-service professional development providers;

(D) Its proposed plan for working across early childhood, social service, and health systems to ensure that there are processes in place to support the implementation of an early childhood MTSS framework that integrates necessary educational, social, and mental health services to promote young children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development; and

(E) The process by which the proposed project will ensure the use of effective TA practices and continuously evaluate the practices to improve the delivery of TA; and

(v) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to achieve the intended project outcomes.

(6) Develop products and implement services that maximize efficiency. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the intended project outcomes;

(ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the intended outcomes of this collaboration; and

(iii) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to achieve the intended project outcomes; and

(7) Develop a dissemination plan that describes how the applicant will systematically distribute information, products, and services to varied intended audiences, using a variety of dissemination strategies, to promote awareness and use of the Center’s products and services.

(c) In the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation,” include an evaluation plan for the project developed in consultation with and implemented by a third-party evaluator.8 The evaluation plan must--

8 A “third-party” evaluator is an independent and impartial program evaluator who is contracted by the grantee to conduct an objective evaluation of the project. This evaluator must not have participated in the

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(1) Articulate formative and summative evaluation questions, including important process and outcome evaluation questions. These questions should be related to the project’s proposed logic model required in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of the application and administrative requirements in this priority;

(2) Describe how progress in and fidelity of implementation, as well as project outcomes will be measured to answer the evaluation questions. Specify the measures and associated instruments or sources for data appropriate to the evaluation questions. Include information regarding reliability and validity of measures where appropriate;

(3) Describe strategies for analyzing data and how data collected as part of this plan will be used to inform and improve service delivery over the course of the project and to refine the proposed logic model and evaluation plan, including subsequent data collection;

(4) Provide a timeline for conducting the evaluation, and include staff assignments for completing the plan. The timeline must indicate that the data will be available annually for the annual performance report (APR) and at the end of Year 2 for the review process described under the heading, Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project;

(5) Dedicate sufficient funds in each budget year to cover the costs of developing or refining the evaluation plan in consultation with a “third-party” evaluator, as well as the costs associated with the implementation of the evaluation plan by the third-party evaluator.

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel,” how--

(1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability, as appropriate;

(2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the proposed activities and achieve the project’s intended outcomes;

development or implementation of any project activities, except for the evaluation activities, nor have any financial interest in the outcome of the evaluation.

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(3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to carry out the proposed activities; and

(4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the anticipated results and benefits.

(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the management plan,” how--

(1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project’s intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and

(ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;

(2) Key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors will be allocated and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate to achieve the project’s intended outcomes;

(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to recipients; and

(4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of perspectives, including those of families, including racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse families, early childhood educators, early intervention and early childhood special educators, administrators, TA providers, researchers, and policy makers, among others, in its development and operation.

(f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant must--

(1) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the narrative;

(2) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following:

(i) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting in Washington, DC, or virtually, after receipt of the award, and an annual planning meeting in Washington, DC, or virtually, with the OSEP project officer and other relevant staff during each subsequent year of the project period.

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Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the grantee’s project director or other authorized representative;

(ii) A two and one-half day project directors’ conference in Washington, DC, or virtually, during each year of the project period;

(iii) Two annual two-day trips, or virtually, to attend Department briefings, Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by OSEP; and

(iv) A one-day intensive 3+2 review meeting in Washington, DC, or virtually, during the second year of the project period;

(3) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of 5 percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are consistent with the proposed project’s intended outcomes, as those needs are identified in consultation with, and approved by, the OSEP project officer. With approval from the OSEP project officer, the project must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period;

(4) Engage doctoral students or post-doctoral fellows in the project to increase future leaders in the field who are knowledgeable on how to implement, scale-up, and sustain an

MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development; and culturally responsive practices and policies that support positive and equitable social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities;

(5) Maintain a high-quality website, with an easy-to-navigate design, that meets government or industry- recognized standards for accessibility;

(6) Ensure that annual project progress toward meeting project goals is posted on the project website; and

(7) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the transfer of pertinent resources and products and to maintain the continuity…