2022-325K application package - 508.docx

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;

Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.325K)

DATED MATERIAL: OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: APRIL 15, 2022

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

GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER/CFDA 84.325K

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CONTENTS

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.

Applicant Letter

A-6 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—Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities (Assistance Listing Number/CFDA 84.325K).

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, 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 two absolute priorities. 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 an absolute priority and is eligible for peer review. An application that has not met an 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.

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

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Notice Inviting Applications

B-1 Federal Register Notice 4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities--Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children 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 Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities--Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities, Assistance Listing Number 84.325K. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.

DATES:

Applications Available: February 4, 2022.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 15, 2022.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 14, 2022.

Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than February 9, 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 in the Federal Register on December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For Absolute Priority 1 Focus Area A: 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.

For Absolute Priority 1 Focus Area B: Carlene Reid, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 5038A, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6139. Email: Carlene.Reid@ed.gov.

For Absolute Priority 2: Tracie Dickson, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5176, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-7844. Email: Tracie.Dickson@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 purposes of this program are to (1) help address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants, 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, to be successful in serving those children.

Priorities:

This competition includes two absolute priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), Absolute Priority 1 and Absolute Priority 2 are 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 Priorities:

For FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2. The Department may fund out of rank order high-quality applications to ensure that awards are evenly funded under each absolute priority. Applicants may apply under both absolute priorities but must submit two separate applications. Applicants must clearly identify if the proposed project addresses Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2. These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1: Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs.

Background:

The purpose of this priority is to increase the number and improve the quality of personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.[footnoteRef:1] Under this priority, the Department will fund high-quality interdisciplinary[footnoteRef:2] projects that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services[footnoteRef:3] personnel at the master’s degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels for professional practice in a variety of education settings, including natural environments (the home and community settings in which children with and without disabilities participate), early learning programs, classrooms, schools, and distance learning environments. The competition will also prepare personnel who have the knowledge and skills to support each child with a disability in meeting high expectations and to partner with other providers, families, and administrators in meaningful and effective collaborations. [1: For the purposes of this priority, “high-intensity needs” refers to a complex array of disabilities (e.g., multiple disabilities, significant cognitive disabilities, significant physical disabilities, significant sensory disabilities, significant autism, significant emotional disabilities, or significant learning disabilities, including dyslexia) or the needs of children with these disabilities requiring intensive, individualized intervention(s) (i.e., that are specifically designed to address persistent learning or behavior difficulties, implemented with greater frequency and for an extended duration than is commonly available in a typical classroom or early intervention setting, or which require personnel to have knowledge and skills in identifying and implementing multiple evidence-based interventions).] [2: For the purposes of this priority, “interdisciplinary” refers to preparing scholars from two or more graduate degree programs in special education or early intervention and one or more related services through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences. Different graduate degree programs across more than one institution of higher education may partner to develop an interdisciplinary project.

For the purpose of this priority, “interdisciplinary” does not include: (a) individual scholars who receive two or more graduate degrees; (b) one graduate degree program that prepares scholars with different areas of focus; (c) one graduate degree program that offers interdisciplinary content but does not prepare scholars from two or more degree programs together; or (d) one graduate degree program in special education, early intervention, and related services partnering with a graduate degree program other than special education, early intervention, or related services. Programs in which scholars receive only a certificate or endorsement without a graduate degree are not eligible.] [3: For the purposes of this priority, “related services” includes the following: speech-language pathology and audiology services; interpreting services; psychological services; applied behavior analysis; physical therapy and occupational therapy; recreation, including therapeutic recreation; social work services; counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling; and orientation and mobility services.]

State demand for fully credentialed special education, early intervention, and related services personnel to serve children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities exceeds the available supply, particularly in high-need schools[footnoteRef:4] (Boe et al., 2013). These shortages can negatively affect the quality of services provided to children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities and their families (Boe et al., 2013). These shortages limit the field’s ability to ensure that each child has the opportunity to meet challenging objectives and receive an education that addresses individualized needs and is both meaningful and appropriately ambitious, which is essential for preparing them for the future. [4: For the purposes of this priority, “high-need school” refers to a public elementary or secondary school that is a “high-need local educational agency (LEA),” “high-poverty,” “implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan,” or “implementing a targeted support and improvement plan” as defined in footnotes 9, 10, 11, and 12, respectively.]

The need for personnel with the knowledge and skills to serve children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities who have high-intensity needs is even greater because specialized or advanced preparation is required to collaboratively design and deliver evidence-based[footnoteRef:5] instruction and intensive individualized intervention(s) in person and through distance learning technologies in natural environments, classrooms, and schools that address the needs of these individuals (Boe et al., 2013; Browder et al., 2014; McLeskey & Brownell, 2015). Although children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities who have high-intensity needs may require the combined expertise of numerous professionals (including special education, early intervention, and related services providers), it is often difficult for personnel from varied professional backgrounds to work together because they lack shared information, understanding, and experience. Personnel also need leadership skills to strengthen professional practice and cultural and linguistic competencies to effectively deliver services and education for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs, including those who are racially and ethnically diverse. [5: For the purposes of this priority, “evidence-based” means, at a minimum, evidence that demonstrates 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.]

Interdisciplinary approaches to personnel preparation provide scholars with experience working and learning in team environments similar to those in which they are likely to work once employed (Smith, 2010). That is, when providing early intervention or special education services under the IDEA, personnel serving children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities work on interdisciplinary teams with parents, general and special education teachers, early interventionists, and related service providers with the expertise to design, implement, and evaluate instruction, intervention plans, individualized family service plans, and individualized education programs based on the unique learning and developmental needs of each child. To enable personnel to provide efficient, high-quality, integrated services both in person and through distance learning technologies, personnel preparation programs need to embed content, practices, and extensive field or clinical experiences into preservice training that is culturally and linguistically responsive and aligned with an interdisciplinary team-based approach to effectively meet the needs of children with high-intensity needs and their families in ways that are culturally and linguistically responsive. This priority aims to fund interdisciplinary projects that will provide such preparation.

Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to increase the number and improve the quality of personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities who have high-intensity needs--especially in areas of chronic personnel shortage. The priority will fund high-quality interdisciplinary projects that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel at the master’s degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels for professional practice in natural environments, early learning programs, classrooms, school settings, and in distance learning environments serving children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities.

Specifically, an applicant must propose an interdisciplinary project supporting scholars[footnoteRef:6] from two or more graduate degree programs in special education or early intervention and one or more related services. [6: For the purposes of this priority, “scholar” is limited to an individual who: (a) is pursuing a master’s, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral graduate degree in special education, early intervention, or related services (as defined in this notice); (b) receives scholarship assistance as authorized under section 662 of IDEA (34 CFR 304.3(g)); (c) will be eligible for a license, endorsement, or certification from a State or national credentialing authority following completion of the graduate degree program identified in the application; and (d) will be able to be employed in a position that serves children with disabilities for a minimum of 51 percent of their time or case load. See https://pdp.ed.gov/OSEP/Home/Regulation for more information.

Scholars from each graduate degree program participating in the proposed interdisciplinary project must receive scholar support and be eligible to fulfill service obligation requirements following graduate degree program completion. Scholars from each graduate degree program participating in this project must complete the requirements of their unique graduate degree program and receive different graduate degrees. Individuals pursuing degrees in general education or early childhood education do not qualify as “scholars” eligible for scholarship assistance.]

An interdisciplinary project is a project that delivers core content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field and clinical experiences as part of two or more master’s degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree programs for scholars. Not all requirements (e.g., courses and field or clinical experiences) of each participating graduate degree program must be shared across all degree programs participating in the interdisciplinary project, but the interdisciplinary project must: (a) identify the competencies needed to promote high expectations and address the individualized needs of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs using an interdisciplinary approach to service delivery; (b) outline how the project will build capacity in those areas through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences for scholars supported by the proposed project; and (c) identify the aspects of each graduate degree program that are shared across all participating degree programs and those that remain unique to each.

Projects may include individuals who are not funded as scholars, but are in degree programs (e.g., general education, early childhood education, administration) that are cooperating with the applicant’s proposed interdisciplinary project. These individuals may participate in the shared coursework, group assignments, extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences, and other opportunities required of scholars’ program of study (e.g., speaker series, monthly seminars) if doing so does not diminish the benefit for project-funded scholars (e.g., by reducing funds available for scholar support or limiting opportunities for scholars to participate in project activities).

Personnel preparation degree programs that prepare all scholars to be dually certified can qualify under this priority by partnering with at least one additional graduate degree program in related services.

Personnel preparation programs that prepare individuals to be educational interpreters for the deaf at the bachelor’s degree level can qualify under this priority and are exempted from (a) the interdisciplinary requirement and (b) the requirement for two or more graduate degree programs. All other priority requirements specified for graduate programs will apply to the bachelor’s program. While interdisciplinary projects are not required for educational interpreters, they are encouraged.

Focus Areas:

Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support interdisciplinary projects under the following two focus areas: (A) Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs; and (B) Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs.

Applicants must identify the specific focus area (i.e., A or B) under which they are applying as part of the competition title on the application cover sheet (SF 424, line 12). Applicants may not submit the same proposal under more than one focus area. Applicants may submit different proposals in different focus areas.

Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs. This focus area is for interdisciplinary projects that deliver core content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences for scholars across two or more graduate degree programs in early intervention or early childhood special education and one or more related services for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities or developmental delays who have high-intensity needs.

Early intervention personnel are those who are prepared to provide services to infants and toddlers with disabilities ages birth to three, and early childhood personnel are those who are prepared to provide services to children with disabilities ages three through five (and in States where the age range is other than ages three through five, we defer to the State’s certification for early childhood special education). In States where certification in early intervention is combined with certification in early childhood special education, applicants may propose a combined early intervention and early childhood special education personnel preparation project under this focus area.

Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs. This focus area is for interdisciplinary projects that deliver core content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences to scholars across two or more graduate degree programs in special education and one or more related services for school-age children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.

Focus Areas A and B:

Applicants may use up to the first 12 months of the performance period and up to $100,000 of the first budget period for planning without enrolling scholars. Applicants must clearly provide sufficient justification for requesting program planning time and include the goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of program planning in year one, a description of the proposed strategies and activities to be supported, and a timeline for the work; A description of the proposed strategies may include activities such as--

(1) Outlining or updating coursework, group assignments, or extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences needed to support culturally and linguistically responsive, interdisciplinary preparation for special education, early intervention, or related services personnel serving children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;

(2) Building capacity (e.g., hiring of a field supervisor, providing professional development for field supervisors, and training for faculty);

(3) Purchasing needed resources (e.g., additional teaching supplies or specialized equipment to enhance instruction); or

(4) Establishing relationships with programs or schools, including those with racially and ethnically diverse populations, to serve as sites for field or clinical experiences needed to support delivery of the proposed interdisciplinary project.

Additional Federal funds may be requested for scholar support and other grant activities occurring in year one of the project, provided that the total request for year one does not exceed the maximum award available for one budget period of 12 months (i.e., $250,000).

Note: Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add a new area of emphasis to special education, early intervention, or related services programs must provide, in their applications, information on how these new areas will be sustained in their programs once Federal funding ends.

Note: Project periods under this priority may be up to 60 months. Projects should be designed to ensure that all proposed scholars successfully complete the program within 60 months of the start of the project. The Secretary may reduce continuation awards for any project in which scholars are not on track to complete the program by the end of that period.

To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, all program applicants must meet the requirements contained in this priority.

To meet the requirements of this priority an applicant must--

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

(1) The project addresses national, State, regional, or district shortages of personnel who are fully qualified to serve children with disabilities, ages birth through 21, who have high-intensity needs. To address this requirement, the applicant must--

(i) Present data on the quality of each special education, early intervention, or related services personnel preparation degree program participating in the project, in areas such as: the average amount of time it takes for scholars to complete the program; the percentage of program graduates who receive a license, endorsement, or certification related to special education, related services, or early intervention services; the percentage of program graduates finding employment related to their preparation after graduation; the effectiveness of program graduates in providing special education, early intervention, or related services, which could include data on the learning and developmental outcomes of children with disabilities they serve; the percentage of program graduates who maintain employment for two or more years in the area for which they were prepared; and the percentage of employers who rate the preparation of scholars who complete their degree program as adequate or higher; and

(ii) If available for the degree programs participating in the proposed project, present data on the quality of their interdisciplinary approaches to the preparation of special education, early intervention, or related services personnel; and Note: Data on the quality of a personnel preparation program should be no older than five years prior to the start date of the project proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the denominator (i.e., total number of scholars or program graduates) must be provided.

(2) The project will increase the number of personnel who demonstrate the competencies[footnoteRef:7] needed to-- [7: For the purposes of this priority, “competencies” means what a person knows and can do--the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to effectively function in a role (National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, 2011). These competencies should ensure that personnel are able to use challenging academic standards, child achievement and functional standards, and assessments to improve instructional practices, services, learning and developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral), and college- and career-readiness of children with disabilities.]

(i) Promote high expectations and improve outcomes for children with disabilities;

(ii) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;

(iii) Provide intensive individualized instruction and intervention(s);

(iv) Provide culturally and linguistically responsive instruction and services;

(v) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through distance learning technologies;

(vi) Collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including those from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, using an interdisciplinary team-based approach to address the individualized needs of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs, ages birth through 21, and designed to achieve improvements in learning or developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral), and support the successful transition from early childhood to elementary, elementary to secondary, or transition to postsecondary education and the workforce; and

(vii) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and services and education for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.

To address this requirement, the applicant must--

(A) Identify the competencies that special education, early intervention, or related services personnel need to--

(1) Promote high expectations and improve outcomes for children with disabilities;

(2) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;

(3) Provide intensive individualized instruction and intervention(s);

(4) Provide culturally and linguistically responsive instruction and services;

(5) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through distance learning technologies;

(6) Collaborate with parents, families, and diverse stakeholders, including those who are from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, using an interdisciplinary team-based approach designed to improve learning and developmental outcomes; ensure access to and progress in academic achievement standards or alternate academic achievement standards, as appropriate; lead to successful transition to college and career for children with disabilities, including children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs; and maximize the use of effective technology, including assistive technology, to deliver instruction, interventions, and services; and

(7) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and services and education for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs and their families.

(B) Identify the competencies needed by members of interdisciplinary teams to promote high expectations and improve early childhood, educational, and employment outcomes for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;

(C) Identify the competencies that personnel need to support inclusion of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs in the least restrictive and natural environments to the maximum extent appropriate by intentionally promoting high expectations and participation in learning and social activities to foster development, learning, academic achievement, friendships with peers, and sense of belonging;

(D) Identify how scholars will be prepared to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based instruction and evidence-based interventions delivered in person and through distance learning technologies that improve outcomes for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs in a variety of settings (e.g., natural environments; public schools, including charter schools; private schools, including parochial schools; and other nonpublic education settings, including home education); and

(E) Provide a conceptual framework for the proposed interdisciplinary personnel preparation project, including any empirical support for project activities designed to promote the acquisition of the identified competencies (see paragraph (a)(2) of the requirements for this priority) needed by special education, early intervention, or related services personnel, and how these competencies relate to the proposed project;

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

(1) Will conduct its planning activities, if the applicant will use any of the allowable first 12 months of the project period for planning;

(2) Will recruit and retain high-quality scholars into each of the graduate degree programs participating in the project and ensure equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) Criteria the applicant will use to identify high-quality applicants for admission into each of the graduate degree programs participating in the project;

(ii) Recruitment strategies the applicant will use to attract high-quality applicants, including specific recruitment strategies targeting high-quality applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups, including underrepresented people of color and individuals with disabilities; and

(iii) The approach, including mentoring, monitoring, and accommodations, the applicant will use to support scholars to complete their respective degree programs;

(3) Reflects current evidence-based practices, including practices in the areas of literacy and numeracy development, assessment, behavior, instructional practices, distance learning technologies and pedagogy, and inclusive strategies, as appropriate, and is designed to prepare scholars in the identified competencies. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe how the project will--

(i) Incorporate current evidence-based practices (including relevant research citations) that improve outcomes for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs into (a) the required coursework and extensive field or clinical experiences for each graduate degree program participating in the project; and (b) the shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences required for the interdisciplinary portions of the project; and

(ii) Use evidence-based professional development practices for adult learners to instruct scholars through both in-person and online courses and field or clinical experiences;

(4) Is of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to prepare scholars in the identified competencies. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe how--

(i) The components of (a) each graduate degree program participating in the project; and (b) the shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences required for the interdisciplinary portions of the proposed project will support scholars’ acquisition and enhancement of the identified competencies;

(ii) The components of (a) each graduate degree program participating in the project; and (b) the shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences required for the interdisciplinary portions of the proposed project will be integrated to allow scholars, in collaboration with other team members, to use their knowledge and skills in designing, implementing, and evaluating practices supported by evidence to address the learning and developmental needs of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;

(iii) Scholars will be provided with ongoing guidance and feedback during training; and

(iv) The proposed project will provide ongoing induction opportunities and mentoring support to graduates of each graduate degree program participating in the project;

(5) Will engage in meaningful and effective collaboration with appropriate partners representing diverse stakeholders, including--

(i) High-need schools, which may include high-need local educational agencies (LEAs),[footnoteRef:8] high-poverty schools,[footnoteRef:9] schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement,[footnoteRef:10] and schools implementing a targeted support and improvement plan[footnoteRef:11] for children with disabilities; early childhood and early intervention programs located within the geographic boundaries of a high-need LEA; and early childhood and early intervention programs located within the geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State. The purpose of these partnerships is to provide extensive field or clinical practice for scholars aimed at developing the identified competencies as members of interdisciplinary teams; and [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 incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than 20 percent of the children are from families with incomes below the poverty line.] [9: For the purposes of this priority, “high-poverty school” means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are from low-income families as determined using one of the measures of poverty specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). For middle and high schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under this definition is determined on the basis of the most currently available data.] [10: For the purposes of this priority, “school implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan” means a school identified for comprehensive support and improvement by a State under section 1111(c)(4)(D) of the ESEA that includes (a) not less than the lowest performing 5 percent of all schools in the State receiving funds under Title I, Part A of the ESEA; (b) all public high schools in the State failing to graduate one third or more of their students; and (c) public schools in the State described under section 1111(d)(3)(A)(i)(II) of the ESEA.] [11: For the purposes of this priority, “school implementing a targeted support and improvement plan” means a school identified for targeted support and improvement by a State that has developed and is implementing a school-level targeted support and improvement plan to improve student outcomes based on the indicators in the statewide accountability system as defined in section 1111(d)(2) of the ESEA.]

(ii) Other personnel preparation programs on campus or at partnering universities for the purpose of sharing resources, supporting program development and delivery, and addressing personnel shortages;

(6) Will use technology, as appropriate, to promote scholar learning and professional practice, enhance the efficiency of the project, collaborate with partners, and facilitate ongoing mentoring and support for scholars;

(7) Will ensure that scholars understand how to use technology to support children’s in-person and distance learning and children’s use of educational and assistive technology; and

(8) Will align with and use resources, as appropriate, available through technical assistance centers, which may include centers funded by the Department;

Note: Use the “Find a Center or Grant” link at https://osepideasthatwork.org for information about OSEP-funded technical assistance centers.

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation,” how--

(1) The applicant will use comprehensive and appropriate methodologies to evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed project have been met, including the project processes and outcomes;

(2) The applicant will collect, analyze, and use data related to specific and measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe how--

(i) Scholar competencies and other project processes and outcomes will be measured for formative evaluation purposes, including proposed instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses; and

(ii) It will collect and analyze data on the quality of services provided by scholars who complete the graduate degree programs involved in this interdisciplinary project and are employed in the field for which they were trained, including data on the learning and developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral, meeting college- and career-ready standards), and on growth toward these outcomes, of the children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;

Note: Following the completion of the project period, grantees are encouraged to engage in ongoing data collection activities.

(3) The methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and qualitative data for objective performance measures that are related to the outcomes of the proposed project; and

(4) The methods of evaluation will provide performance feedback and allow for periodic assessment of progress towards meeting the project outcomes. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe how--

(i) Results of the evaluation will be used as a basis for improving the proposed project to prepare special education, early intervention, or related services personnel to provide (a) focused instruction; and (b) intensive individualized intervention(s) in an interdisciplinary team-based approach to improve outcomes of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs; and

(ii) The grantee will report the evaluation results to OSEP in its annual and final performance reports;

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative under “Project Assurances” or in the applicable appendices, that the following program requirements are met. The applicant must--

(1) Provide scholar support for participants from two or more graduate degree programs partnering in the proposed…