2022-325E application package - 508 (FINAL).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)

PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND

RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

(ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER/CFDA 84.325)

APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS;

NATIONAL CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION

OF DIGITAL OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES THAT

TRANSLATE RESEARCH TO PRACTICE FOR BUILDING THE

CAPACITY OF PERSONNEL SERVING STUDENTS WITH

DISABILITIES (ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER/CFDA 84.325E)

DATED MATERIAL: OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: MAY 2, 2022

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

http://www.ed.gov/

GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER/CFDA 84.325E

CONTENTS

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

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

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

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants ............................................. B33

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

National Center for Development and Dissemination of Digital Open Educational Resources that Translate Research to Practice for Building the Capacity of Personnel Serving Students with Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.325E) ............................................................................................................................ C2

Selection Criteria and Format for the Applications for New Awards— National Center for Development and Dissemination of Digital Open Educational Resources that Translate Research to Practice for Building the Capacity of Personnel Serving Students with Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.325E) Competition ...... C233

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) ............................................................................. G20

Part III: Application Narrative ............................................................................................ G28

Part IV: Assurances and Certifications .............................................................................. G30

Part V: Additional Information………………………………………….……………….…….….G30

DUNS Number Instructions/Unique Entity Identifier. ............................................. G30

Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgement ........................................................ G32

Grant and Contract Funding Information ............................................................... G32

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

A-2

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 Personnel Development To Improve Services And Results For Children With Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.325) program—Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities--National Center for Development and Dissemination of Digital Open Educational Resources that Translate Research to Practice for Building the Capacity of Personnel Serving Students with Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.325E).

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-33, 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.

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 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481).

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

A-4

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.

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 priority will not be considered for funding and may not be reviewed.

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:

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/humansub/overview.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.

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/humansub/overview.html http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html

A-5

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

B-1

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS

B-2

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--National Center for Development and Dissemination of Digital Open Educational Resources that Translate Research to Practice for Building the Capacity of Personnel Serving Students with 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 the National Center for Development and Dissemination of Digital Open Educational Resources that Translate Research to Practice for Building the Capacity of Personnel Serving Students with Disabilities, Assistance Listing Number 84.325E.

This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820- 0028.

DATES:

Applications Available: March 3, 2022.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 2, 2022.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 1, 2022.

Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than March 8, 2022, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will post details on pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Links to the webinars may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.

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

B-3 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 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:

Sarah Allen, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 5160, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-7875.

Email: Sarah.Allen@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

http://www.federalregister.gov/%E2%80%8Bd/%E2%80%8B2021-27979 https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf mailto:Sarah.Allen@ed.gov

B-4

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Purpose of Program:

The purposes of the Personnel Development Program to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program are to (1) help address State-identified needs for qualified personnel in special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants, toddlers and youth, with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful in serving those children.

Priorities:

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 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481).

Absolute Priority:

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:

National Center for Development and Dissemination of Digital Open Educational Resources that Translate Research to Practice for Building the Capacity of Personnel Serving Students with Disabilities (Center).

Background:

Well-prepared, culturally and linguistically responsive, and committed special education personnel are vital to improving developmental and learning outcomes (e.g., social, emotional, behavioral, and academic) for all students, especially students with disabilities (Darling- Hammond et al., 2020). The Nation faces continued chronic shortages in the education workforce, especially special education personnel, and these shortages have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic (Billingsley & Bettini, 2019; Gecker, 2021; Mason-Williams et al., 2020). Between 2009 and 2014, enrollment in higher education programs preparing personnel declined more than 30 percent (Espinoza et al., 2018). Schools and districts report increasing difficulty hiring personnel, especially personnel for special education and related services

B-5 positions. As a result, many States lowered academic requirements to enter teacher preparation programs and are hiring personnel under emergency certifications (Putman & Walsh, 2021). The most effective way to ensure the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) with cultural and linguistic competence by personnel serving students with disabilities is by (a) improving the quality of preparation programs through the incorporation of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence into their program of study, and (b) providing ongoing professional development for the practicing workforce to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to use the most up to date EBPs (CEEDAR Center and Center for Great Teachers and Leaders, 2020).

Despite the gains made in identifying EBPs, use of those practices in delivery of instruction and interventions for students with disabilities continues to lag (Cook et al., 2021;

Cook & Odom, 2021). Given the importance of EBPs in supporting students’ growth and improving outcomes, it is critical that personnel serving students with disabilities have the updated knowledge and skills to choose and use these effective practices.

To ensure that personnel serving students with disabilities have the knowledge and skills to use EBPs effectively, States, districts, schools, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) must implement effective personnel development practices in both preparation programs and professional learning opportunities supporting growth for the current education workforce.

Resources that may be used within such programs or stand-alone training are needed to support personalized professional learning for those seeking to advance their knowledge and skills. Further, both preparation programs and professional learning opportunities must be designed with a clear focus on course and curricular content that (a) translates research to practice by first building knowledge and understanding and then linking to meaningful applied learning experiences; (b) incorporates active learning with adult-learning principles; (c) connects learning to real-world settings; and (d) provides opportunities for modeling, coaching, and feedback (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017).

To advance educational equity in the use of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence, preparatory programs and professional learning opportunities must also support multiple pathways into the profession, and support personnel development over a lifetime of learning and working, for individuals from diverse backgrounds (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017).

In addition to traditional career pathways, some may enter the education workforce under provisional or alternate certification as career changers or after returning from military service.

Others who are working as paraprofessionals may continue their education at a community college and then a four-year institution, with a pipeline program that leads to completion of the degree requirements needed for certification. Regardless of how one pursues full certification, all pathways that support traditionally underserved populations in obtaining meaningful and rewarding work within the education workforce need to be solidly grounded in the use of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence.

B-6

Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital teaching and learning tools were playing an increasingly important role in preparation programs and professional learning opportunities for personnel serving and supporting students with disabilities (Pelletier et al., 2021). Digital learning tools can facilitate interactive preparation and professional learning environments and support learner variability. Mixed reality classroom simulators are expanding opportunities for teaching and learning in IHE courses from a focus on constructing knowledge and understanding to building skills by providing practice opportunities in simulated classrooms.

New learning management platforms are being used to support the development, organization, and delivery of high-quality teaching and learning, and allow both personalized and competency-based learning and monitoring performance across individuals and groups. Other platforms continue to expand the use of microcredentials, badging, and other forms of credit for professional growth and meeting continuing education requirements. Evidence-based professional development is needed to support faculty and professional development providers to identify and use these tools to enhance teaching and learning in personnel preparation programs and professional learning opportunities.

With hybrid education expected to grow in importance and relevance, the need and demand for high-quality digital teaching and learning content, products, and services that build the capacity of personnel to use EBPs also continues to grow. In addition, there is increased demand for using virtual environments and paradigms to enhance personnel preparation programs and professional learning opportunities. Likewise, the need to support IHE faculty, and State and local professional development providers in learning to use these resources to design and deliver effective courses and plan comprehensive curricula or programs has grown and expanded.

This absolute priority will advance the Secretary’s priorities in the areas of addressing the impact of COVID–19 on students, educators, and faculty and supporting a diverse educator workforce and professional growth to strengthen student learning.

Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a national center that will develop and disseminate digital, open educational resources (OER)1 that translate research to practice for use in building the capacity of special education

1 Open Educational Resources are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost.

B-7 personnel2 to use EBPs3 with cultural and linguistic competence to improve results for students with disabilities. In addition, the Center will disseminate resources to (a) faculty who prepare special education personnel, including future faculty; (b) State, local, and other professional development providers; and (c) individuals independently seeking to use the Center’s resources to design and deliver effective course and curriculum content needed to support the preparation and professional learning in use of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to deliver instruction, interventions, and services for students with disabilities and their families, including those from underserved populations.

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

(a) Development and dissemination of innovative accessible digital OER that translate research to practice for use in building the capacity of special education personnel to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to improve results for students with disabilities including those from underserved populations;

(b) Products and services that include knowledge-based teaching and learning tools, skill-building exercises, and connections to real-world or simulated practice opportunities aligned to professional standards;

(c) Resources developed by the Center that are licensed through an open-access licensing authority;

(d) Resources developed by the Center that are responsive to learners from varied backgrounds (e.g., race, ethnicity, disability, primary language) and education levels (e.g., bachelor’s, doctoral); and as needed, may be differentiated by role (e.g., teacher, provider, administrator) and used across certification pathways and professional development opportunities;

2 For the purpose of this priority, “special education personnel” include general and special education teachers, related service providers, and educational administrators of systems that provide services to children and youth with disabilities and their families. Also included may be faculty, policy makers, and others indirectly supporting delivery of services and support for students with disabilities.

3 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.

B-8

(e) Increased capacity of faculty and IHEs with personnel preparation programs4 to build knowledge and skills of special education personnel to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to strengthen learning and improve results for students with disabilities by using the Center’s resources to enhance course and curricula content;

(f) Increased capacity of State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and other providers supporting professional growth of current special education personnel in the use of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence by using Center products to enhance course and curricula content; offer multiple comprehensive and evidence-based certification pathways and professional development opportunities; and track progress, verify learning across individuals or groups, and assign credit needed to meet continuing education requirements for personnel serving students with disabilities; and

(g) Partnerships or agreements that support dissemination and use of the Center’s products in personnel preparation programs and professional learning opportunities, and services to yield verification of learning or forms of credit needed to demonstrate professional growth and meet continuing education requirements for personnel serving students with disabilities.

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

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

(1) Address current and emerging needs for instructional and intervention resources that translate research to practice for use in building the knowledge and skills of special education personnel to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to improve results for students with disabilities, including those from underserved populations. To meet this requirement, the applicant must--

(i) Demonstrate knowledge of the need for special education personnel to have the knowledge and skills to identify and use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and knowledge of the challenges that faculty and IHEs offering personnel preparation programs, and SEAs, LEAs, and others offering

4 For the purpose of this priority, “personnel preparation programs” include associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral programs that prepare personnel serving students with disabilities.

B-9 professional learning opportunities, face in building the capacity of personnel;

(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of the need for high-quality, innovative, interactive OER that translate research to practice for enhancing courses and curricula content offered by IHEs, SEAs, LEAs, and other providers building the capacity of personnel to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to deliver instruction, interventions, and services for students with disabilities and their families; and

(iii) Demonstrate knowledge of the current and emerging content, pedagogy, and instructional needs of learners differentiated by roles (e.g., teacher, service provider, administrator); credentials (e.g., uncertified or certified, across degree levels); backgrounds (e.g., education professional, career changer, race, and ethnicity); program type (e.g., higher education preparation program and professional learning opportunities); and expertise in developing and delivering instructional and intervention resources to build capacity of personnel to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence in delivering instruction, interventions, and services for students with disabilities and their families;

(2) Address the current and emerging needs for innovative, state-of-the-art educational technologies for use in personnel preparation programs and professional learning opportunities seeking to optimize course and curriculum content in programs designed to build the capacity of personnel to deliver evidence-based instruction, interventions, and services with cultural and linguistic competence for students with disabilities and their families. To address this requirement, the applicant must--

(i) Demonstrate knowledge of the need for innovative and promising educational technologies to enhance instruction and learning, and provide verification of learning of course and curriculum content, and expertise integrating these technologies in products and services designed to support preparation and professional learning opportunities of special education personnel;

(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of, and expertise in, effective dissemination of digital, OER addressing the use of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to IHEs, SEAs, LEAs, and other personnel development programs, including data demonstrating quality and use of those resources; and

(iii) Demonstrate knowledge of, and expertise in, building the capacity of IHE faculty (including future faculty) and personnel development providers to use digital OER in courses and curricula of personnel preparation programs and professional learning opportunities with consideration of learners differentiated by roles (e.g., teacher, provider, administrator);

credentials (e.g., uncertified or certified, across degree levels); backgrounds (e.g., education professional, career changer, race, and ethnicity); and program type (e.g., higher education

B-10 preparation program, continuing professional development).

(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, including both those learning to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence (e.g., special education personnel and scholars enrolled in preparation programs), and those who will use the Center’s resources to design and deliver effective course and curriculum content needed to support the preparation (e.g., faculty, future faculty), or professional learning opportunities for special education personnel (e.g., SEAs, LEAs, other professional development providers) to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to deliver instruction, interventions, and services for students with disabilities and their families; and

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

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

(i) Measurable intended project outcomes consistent with the intended outcomes specified in this notice; and

(ii) In Appendix A, the logic model5 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;

5 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.

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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 EBPs. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) The current research on special education personnel’s use of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence in the delivery of instruction, interventions, and services that strengthen learning and improve outcomes for students with disabilities;

(ii) The current research on the use of innovative and promising interactive educational technologies to enhance instruction and learning, and provide verification of learning in course and curricula content of personnel preparation programs and professional learning opportunities that require demonstrated knowledge, skills, and practice in real-world or simulated settings;

and

(iii) The current research about adult learning principles and implementation science that will inform the proposed product development, dissemination, and TA to IHEs, SEAs, LEAs, and other professional development providers; and

(iv) 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:

(A) Innovative, accessible digital OER that translate research to practice for use in building the capacity of special education personnel to implement EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to improve results for students with disabilities;

(B) Existing products from the Office of Special Education Program’s (OSEP’s) prior investment for updating, to reflect current research, policy, product design, and delivery features;

(C) Products grounded in adult-learning principles and use of interactive educational technologies to enhance instruction and learning, provide verification of knowledge-based learning, provide skill-building exercises, and connect to real-world or simulated practice

B-12 opportunities aligned to professional standards;

(D) Products that are responsive to the needs of learners from varied backgrounds (e.g., race, ethnicity, disability, primary language); education levels (e.g., bachelor’s, doctoral);

and, as needed, may be differentiated by role (e.g., teacher, provider, administrator) and used within personnel preparation, professional development, or by individuals for personalized learning;

(E) A framework and tools for identifying, implementing, and sustaining use of Center products within special education personnel preparation programs and for professional learning opportunities, to enhance the curriculum and support special education personnel; and

(F) A comprehensive communication plan to support dissemination of, and outreach related to, the Center’s library of products and services. The framework should address the (a) target audiences; (b) context in which communication will occur; (c) purpose or intended outcomes of the communications (e.g., inform, increase use); and (d) use of media, including social media; and also include metrics to document effectiveness and reach;

(ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,6 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 project 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, developing, and disseminating products, materials, and tools to increase awareness of the importance and benefits of using EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to strengthen student learning and improve outcomes for students with disabilities, including students with disabilities who have high-intensity needs and from underserved populations; and

(B) Identifying, developing, and disseminating products that translate research to practice for use in building the capacity of special education personnel to use EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence to improve results for students with disabilities, including students with disabilities who have high-intensity needs and those from underserved populations; and

6 “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.

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(C) Identifying, developing, and disseminating products, materials, and tools to help IHEs, SEAs, LEAs, and other professional development providers use the Center’s products or services to enhance and expand coverage of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence in course and curriculum content of personnel preparation programs and professional development opportunities for those who serve students with disabilities;

(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,7 which must identify--

(A) Its proposed approach for identifying and establishing partnerships or agreements with ethnically and culturally diverse faculty and IHEs supporting different levels of preparation (associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral levels) to support use of Center products in course and curricula content;

(B) Its proposed approach for identifying and establishing partnerships or agreements with SEAs, LEAs (especially high-need LEAs8) and other professional development providers to support use of Center products in course and curriculum content of programs supporting professional learning opportunities for current special education personnel;

(C) The Center’s services to track progress, verify learning across individuals or groups, and assign credit needed to meet continuing education requirements for personnel serving students with disabilities;

(D) Its proposed approach for establishing partnerships or agreements that support dissemination and use of the Center’s resources in personnel preparation programs, and for professional learning opportunities to enhance teaching and learning, yield verification of learning, or forms of verification needed to demonstrate professional growth and meet continuing education requirements for personnel serving students with disabilities;

(E) Its proposed approach for collaborating with partners, including OSEP-funded TA centers, to increase use of EBPs with cultural and linguistic competence by special education

7 “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.

8 For the purposes of this priority, “high-need LEA” means an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families with income below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than 20 percent of the children are from families with income below the poverty line.

B-14 personnel and build capacity for use of the Center’s products in training and TA, and support alignment in resources across centers; and

(F) Its proposed approach for identifying and partnering with OSEP-funded grantees with Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities Program projects to build the capacity of scholars, including future faculty, to use the Center’s products in personnel preparation programs and to deliver professional learning opportunities.

(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 project’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.9 The evaluation plan must--

(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 this notice;

(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;

9 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 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) 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 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;

(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

B-16 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 those who are racially and ethnically diverse; faculty; special education personnel; 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.

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,…