FY26 84.325J Application Notice and Instructions FINAL.pdf

U.S. Department of Education

Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce

Readiness of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel Through Registered

Apprenticeships

FY 2026 Grant Competition Posted May 13, 2026

Contents Program Information

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Costs

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Program Description

Priorities

Selection Criteria

Performance Measures

General Requirements

Application Submission Information

Application Review Information

Award Requirements

Application Checklist

Program Information The purposes of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program are to (1) help address State-identified shortages and needs for personnel preparation in special education and early intervention, including infants, toddlers, children, 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.

The purpose of the Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel Through Registered Apprenticeships competition is to fund cooperative agreements that support registered apprenticeship1 programs that attract, prepare, and retain special education teachers or early intervention personnel. This priority is particularly relevant for special education and early intervention, where high-quality preparation must be accessible, practice-

1Note: ED encourages applicants to consider the definition of Registered Apprenticeship Program as defined in 5 CFR 362.102 and 29 CFR part 29.

2 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 26.5 hours per response, including the based, and closely integrated with service delivery systems. Preparing qualified special education teachers and early intervention personnel through registered apprenticeship programs addresses critical workforce shortages, integrating work-based learning, and connecting preparation with local and State labor demands.

Assistance Listing Number: 84.325J.

OMB Control Number: 1820–0028.2

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462, 1481- 1482.

For Further Information: Anna Macedonia.

Telephone: (202) 987-1282. Email:

Anna.Macedonia@ed.gov.

Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.

Estimated Available Funds: $7,000,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $5,000,000 for a project 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 any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-362/subpart-A/section-362.102 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-29 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title20/pdf/USCODE-2024-title20-chap33-subchapIV-partB-sec1462.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title20/pdf/USCODE-2024-title20-chap33-subchapIV-partD-sec1481.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title20/pdf/USCODE-2024-title20-chap33-subchapIV-partD-sec1482.pdf mailto:Anna.Macedonia@ed.gov mailto:ICDocketMgr@ed.gov period of 60 months or an award that exceeds $1,000,000 for any single budget period.

Estimated Number of Awards: 7.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Application Deadline: July 13, 2026.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) ED generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 681(d) of the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the absolute priority in this notice.

Note: This application notice and instructions document is the official document governing the grant competition. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/5/553 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/5/553

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants State educational agencies (SEAs) and other public agencies, including IDEA Part C lead agencies and State apprenticeship agencies.

Note: To meet the absolute priority, eligible applicants must be a State agency, and if not the SEA or IDEA Part C lead agency, the applicant must partner with the SEA or IDEA Part C lead agency to implement the project. Pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 1461(b)(2), other types of entities such as local educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education (IHEs), and public charter schools, are not eligible to apply.

Costs Cost Sharing

This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

Indirect Cost Rate Information

This program uses an unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see this webpage.

Administrative Cost Limitation

This program does not include any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses.

All administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance.

Subgrantees

Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under this competition may award subgrants to directly carry out project activities described in its application to the following types of entities: IHEs, nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the application, and other public agencies. The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application or that it selects through a competition under procedures established by the grantee, consistent with 34 CFR 75.708(b)(2). However, an eligible applicant is not required to award subgrants and may instead administer the program directly. Additionally, under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) subgrantees are not authorized to further subgrant.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title20/pdf/USCODE-2024-title20-chap33-subchapIV-partB-sec1461.pdf http://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/subpart-E https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.708 https://%E2%80%8B/%E2%80%8Bwww.ecfr.gov/%E2%80%8Bcurrent/%E2%80%8Btitle-34/%E2%80%8Bpart-75#p-75.708(b)(2) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-A/part-75/subpart-F/subject-group-ECFR26af177f71bc305/section-75.708

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Applications Available May 13, 2026 Application Deadline July 13, 2026 Deadline for Intergovernmental Review September 11, 2026

Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions and Information for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions.

Note: For new potential grantees unfamiliar with grantmaking at ED, please consult our “Getting Started with Discretionary Grant Applications” webpage.

Program Description

Priorities This notice includes one absolute priority. The absolute priority is from the allowable activities in the statute (see Sections 662 and 681 of IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481)).

Absolute Priority: We consider only applications that meet the absolute priority. The absolute priority must be identified in the abstract form and the project narrative section of the application.

Absolute Priority Title Required Priority Language Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel Through Registered Apprenticeships

Yes Cooperative agreements that support registered apprenticeship programs that attract, prepare, and retain special education teachers or early intervention personnel.

Absolute Priority Program Requirements:

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

(a) Increased capacity of State agencies to develop, implement, scale-up, and sustain registered apprenticeship programs for special education teachers or early intervention personnel that connects apprentices to nationally recognized special education teacher or early intervention personnel credentials and establishes transparent, skill-based competency progressions for apprentices;

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant http://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/apply-grant/getting-started-discretionary-grant-applications https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title20/pdf/USCODE-2024-title20-chap33-subchapIV-partB-sec1462.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title20/pdf/USCODE-2024-title20-chap33-subchapIV-partD-sec1481.pdf

(b) Increased capacity of State agencies to effectively partner with and embed registered apprenticeship programs as an established talent development strategy for a broad range of constituents and systems including, but not limited to, the LEAs, workforce development boards and agencies, Educational Preparation Programs, and community-based organizations to develop, implement, scale-up, and sustain special education teacher or early intervention personnel registered apprenticeship programs;

(c) Increased capacity of State agencies to evaluate their registered apprenticeship programs, including how these programs are implemented and their impact on recruitment, preparation, and retention of special education teachers or early intervention personnel; and

(d) Improved recruitment and retention of special education teachers or early intervention personnel through the implementation of registered apprenticeship programs that provide accessible, paid, and competency-based pathways into the profession.

To be considered for funding under this priority, all applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.

Note: An applicant may submit an application that proposes to develop, implement, scale-up, and sustain a registered apprenticeship program for special education teachers or early intervention personnel. An applicant may submit one application for (a) a registered apprenticeship program for special education teachers, (b) another separate application for an early intervention personnel registered apprenticeship program, or (c) a registered apprenticeship program of both special education teachers and early intervention personnel. If proposing registered apprenticeship programs for both special education teachers and early intervention personnel, the application must address all application requirements for each system.

Absolute Priority Application Requirements:

In addition, to be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the following requirements. These requirements align with the selection criteria that are proposed for this competition:

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

(1) Address the State, regional, or local need to attract, prepare, and retain special education teachers or early intervention personnel. To meet this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Present applicable State, regional, and local data demonstrating the current and projected workforce shortages of special education teachers or early intervention personnel;

(ii) Describe how the proposed project will address current and projected shortages demonstrated in (a)(1)(i); and

(iii) Describe current State, regional, and local strategies that have been used or are being used to address shortages of special education teachers or early intervention personnel.

(2) Support the development and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs designed to lead to certification for special education or early intervention personnel. To meet this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Describe how the project will align the registered apprenticeship program with State licensure requirements for special education or early intervention personnel; and

(ii) Describe the collaborative relationships with a broad range of constituents needed to develop, implement, scale-up and sustain a special education teacher or early intervention personnel registered apprenticeship program, and indicate the likely magnitude or importance of such collaborative relationships.

(b) Describe, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project design,” how the proposed project will—

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

(i) Measurable intended project outcomes, including an estimate of the number of special education teachers or early intervention personnel that will complete or enroll in a registered apprenticeship program within the project period;

(ii) An estimate and justification of per apprentice cost based on project budget assumptions; and

(2) Use up to the first 12 months of the project period, to develop or refine an existing registered apprenticeship program. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe how the apprenticeship program will—

(i) Use data-driven strategies and evidence-based3 approaches to increase recruitment, successful completion, and retention of the special education teachers or early intervention personnel supported by the registered apprenticeship program;

(ii) Create targeted pathways for instructional assistants, paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, career changers, and other individuals already working in educational settings to become certified special education teachers or early intervention personnel while employed;

(iii) Use standards for participants to enter into and complete the registered apprenticeship program;

(iv) Be aligned to evidence-based practices for effective special education teacher or early intervention personnel preparation;

(v) Use a competitive process to award subgrants to Educational Preparation Programs, LEAs, or other organizations to minimize per program apprentice costs;

(vi) Have no out of pocket costs for program apprentices;

(vii) Propose a process for identifying LEAs or early intervention service providers that the State agency will partner with to implement and sustain the registered apprenticeship program;

(viii) Obtain commitments from partner LEAs or early intervention service providers to ensure that program apprentices are paid during their registered apprenticeship program. No grant funds may be used for apprentice salaries;

(ix) Require completion of a bachelor’s degree either before entering or as a result of the registered apprenticeship program and result in the completion of all requirements for full State teacher licensure or certification, excluding emergency, temporary, provisional, or other sub-standard licensure or certification;

(x) Provide increasing levels of responsibility for the apprentices during at least one year of paid on-the-job learning or clinical experience, during which the apprentice is under the advisement of a special education teacher who serves

3 For the purposes of this priority, “evidence-based” means the proposed project component is supported by one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that demonstrates a rationale (34 CFR 77.1).

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-A/part-77/section-77.1 as the teacher of record, or a licensed or certified early intervention provider who serves as a mentor. An apprentice may not be a teacher or early intervention provider of record;

(xi) Propose how the program could be financially sustainable after the end of the project period; and

(xii) If the applicant is not an SEA or Part C lead agency, obtain commitments from the SEA or Part C lead agency that they will support the implementation of the project; and

(3) Use the remaining months of the project period to implement, evaluate, scale-up, and sustain a special education teacher or early intervention personnel registered apprenticeship program. To meet this requirement, the applicant must include—its proposed process for identifying new LEAs or early intervention service providers that the State agency will partner with to scale-up and sustain the registered apprenticeship program.

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building,” how—

(1) The applicant will collect, analyze, and use data related to specific and measurable goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of the registered apprenticeship program to evaluate program effectiveness. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe how—

(i) Recruitment of special education teachers or early intervention personnel into the apprenticeship program, their completion rates, actual cost per apprentice trained, and other project processes and outcomes will be measured for formative evaluation purposes, including proposed instruments, data collection methods, and proposed analyses;

(ii) Proposed evaluation methods will provide performance feedback that allows for periodic assessment of progress towards meeting the project outcomes, and addressing shortages or low retention rates of special education teachers or early intervention personnel;

(iii) Results of the evaluation will be used as a basis for improving the proposed project; and

(iv) Evaluation results will be reported to OSEP in annual and final performance reports.

Under 34 CFR 75.253, ED may reduce continuation awards or discontinue awards in any year of the project period for excessive carryover balances, a failure to make substantial progress, or where grantees have not maintained financial and administrative management systems that meet requirements in 2 CFR 200.302, Financial management, and 2 CFR 200.303, Internal controls. ED intends to closely monitor unobligated balances and substantial progress under this program and may reduce or discontinue funding accordingly.

Fourth and Fifth Year of Project

ED may extend a project two years beyond the initial 36 months if the grantee is achieving the intended outcomes of the project (as demonstrated by data gathered as part of the project evaluation). Each applicant must include in its application a plan and a budget for the full 60-month period. In deciding whether to extend funding the project for the fourth and fifth years, ED will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) and will consider the success and timeliness with which the intended outcomes of the project requirements have been or are being met by the project.

Selection Criteria Selection criteria outline how the application will be scored. The maximum possible total score an application can receive for addressing the criteria is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses following the criterion. The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210.

(a) Significance (up to 10 points). The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The data presented (including a comparison to local, State, regional, national, or international data) that demonstrates the issue, challenge, or opportunity to be addressed by the proposed project.

(2) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses.

(b) Quality of the project design (up to 35 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.253 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.302 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.303 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.303 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR5f7e065727909ad/section-75.253#p-75.253(a) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210

(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified, measurable, and ambitious yet achievable within the project period, and aligned with the purposes of the grant program.

(2) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates that it is designed to build capacity and yield sustainable results that will extend beyond the project period.

(3) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge and an evidence-based project component.

(4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project services.

(5) The extent to which the training or professional development services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to build recipient and project capacity in ways that lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services.

(6) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the use of efficient strategies, including the use of technology, as appropriate, and the leveraging of non-project resources.

(c) Quality of the management plan (up to 20 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(3) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel.

(d) Adequacy of resources (up to 15 points). The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization.

(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

(e) Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building (up to 20 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers:

(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are thorough, feasible, relevant, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project.

(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

(3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quality data that are quantitative and qualitative.

(4) The extent to which the evaluation plan includes a dissemination strategy that is likely to promote others' learning from the project.

Performance Measures ED has developed the following performance measures to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel Through Apprenticeships program (84.325J), and for the purposes of reporting to ED under 34 CFR 75.110.

Applications must describe:

The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data.

The applicant’s capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.

Program Performance Measure Description Program Performance Measure 1 Number and percentage of special education teachers or early intervention personnel that https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110

Program Performance Measure Description participated in the registered apprenticeship program that are either retained in their current position or are continuing to primarily serve children with disabilities in early intervention or school settings.

Program Performance Measure 2 Retention rate for special education teachers or early intervention personnel at the State, regional, or local system level that participated in the registered apprenticeship program compared to the historical retention rates in the same State, regional, or local system(s) in years prior to participation in the registered apprenticeship program.

Each grantee funded under this competition must collect and annually report data related to its performance on these measures in the project’s annual and final performance report to ED in accordance with section 653(d) of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.590. Applicants should discuss in the application narrative how they propose to collect performance data for these measures.

General Requirements

(a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (section 606 of IDEA).

(b) Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

(c) Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must determine whether the project has any potential for replication and adoption by other entities (section 682(a)(1)(B) of IDEA).

Application Submission Information Competition Resources

Resources specific to this competition will be available at the 84.325J Grant Competition webpage.

Registration

To apply, you must first be registered in two systems: SAM.gov and Grants.gov. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up to date.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.590 https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-special-populations/grants-special-education-and-individuals-disabilities/personnel-special-ed/84.325J https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-special-populations/grants-special-education-and-individuals-disabilities/personnel-special-ed/84.325J http://www.sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

Grants.gov registration involves several steps, including registration on SAM.gov. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot apply until all registration steps are complete. Once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to become available in Grants.gov. For detailed information on the registration steps, please go to: Grants.gov Applicant Registration.

Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.

ED strongly recommends that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application.

Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. If Grants.gov rejects your application, you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

You must provide the Unique-Entity ID (UEI) on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM at the time your organization registers in SAM. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

A Grants.gov applicant must apply online using Workspace, a shared environment in Grants.gov where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. The Grants.gov website contains further instructions on how to apply.

SAM.gov

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process early.

To register, go to SAM.gov and click on "Get Started."

Click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register in SAM.gov.

If you need help, you can call 866-606-8220 or live chat with the Federal Service Desk.

Grants.gov

You must also have an active account with Grants.gov.

To register, go to Grants.gov and click “Register.” When ready, click on “Get Registered Now” and complete the required fields.

For more information or assistance, click on “Applicant Registration Page.”

http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/entity-registration https://sam.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/entity-checklist.pdf https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://grants.gov/ https://grants.gov/register https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/register.faces?INITIAL_LOAD=true https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/register.faces?INITIAL_LOAD=true https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

Intergovernmental Review

This is subject to Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of Executive Order 12372 is to strengthen federalism – or the distribution of responsibility between localities, States, and the Federal government – by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that State or local governments have developed to coordinate and review proposed Federal financial grant applications. Grant applicants need to contact State Single Points of Contact (SPOC) for information on their State’s procedures. Multi- State applicants should follow procedures specific to each State. Further information about the SPOC and the official list of entities can be found online.

Absent specific State review programs, applicants may submit comments directly to the point of contact listed in this notice.

Verify Submission

Verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, log in to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once ED receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received,” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site.

For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet . If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

https://www.ojp.gov/IntergovernmentalReviewSPOCList.pdf https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to the Grants.gov Support Center for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs as well as additional information on Workspace.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at: support@grants.gov. You may also access the Grants.gov Self- Service Knowledge Base web portal.

Application Review Information Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, ED may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217, information outside the rank order of applications, including: the information in each application; and any other information—

(a) Relevant to a criterion, priority, or other requirement that applies to the selection of applications for new grants;

(b) Concerning the applicant’s performance and use of funds under a previous award under any ED program; and

(c) Concerning the applicant’s failure under any ED program to submit a performance report or its submission of a performance report of unacceptable quality.

Before making awards, ED staff will screen applications submitted in accordance with the requirements in this notice to determine whether applications have met eligibility and other requirements, including whether an application may fail to meet the “Terms and Conditions” applicable to awarded funds referenced elsewhere within this notice. This screening process may occur at various stages of the review and selection process.

Applicants that are determined to be ineligible will not receive a grant, regardless of whether the application was included in the peer review process. Applications not selected for funding will be informed of ED’s decision in accordance with 34 CFR 75.218.

Peer reviewers will read, prepare a written evaluation of, and score the assigned applications, using the selection criteria provided in this notice.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, ED requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.217#p-75.217(d)(3) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.217#p-75.217(d)(3) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.218 activities receiving Federal financial assistance from ED (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

Award Requirements Terms and Conditions

If you are awarded a grant under this competition, you must ensure and may be required to demonstrate that federal funds will not be used under this project in any manner that violates the United States Constitution, Title VI or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq. or 42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794), the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.), the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7905), section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1011f), or other applicable federal law.

Please note the provisions of Executive Orders 14151, 14168, 14173, and 14190 as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s July 29, 2025, non-regulatory “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination,” which clarifies the application of federal antidiscrimination laws to programs or initiatives that may involve discriminatory practices, including those labeled as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) programs.

Such activities may risk violating federal civil rights laws and may jeopardize federal funding. This includes any discriminatory equity ideology in violation of a Federal anti-discrimination law. A definition of “discriminatory equity ideology” is contained in Section 2(b) of Executive Order 14190. To the extent that any entity receiving grant funds under this grant uses those grant funds for such unallowable activities, ED reserves the right to take appropriate enforcement actions, including the recovery of grant funds or may pursue termination or non-continuation. The Grant Award Notification document accompanying your award may contain further terms and conditions, as necessary, to ensure grantee compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and administrative priorities.

Applicable Regulations

(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-100.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-104.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-106.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-108.8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-110.23 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000d https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000d https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000e https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1681 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/29/794 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/6101 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/12131 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7905 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1011f https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1409486/dl https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1409486/dl https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-75 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-77 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-79 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-81 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-82 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-84 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-86 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-97 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-98 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-99 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-180 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-3485 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-3485

Requirements For Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3474.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

Continuation Awards

In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, ED considers, among other things:

whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; if ED has established performance measurement requirements, whether the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance targets in the grantee’s approved application; or whether the continuation of the project is in the best interest of the Federal government.

In making a continuation award, ED also considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from ED (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). In making any continuation award determination, ED may consider all relevant information.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-3474 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-79 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-86 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.253 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-100.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-104.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-106.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-108.8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-110.23

Application Checklist The application will require you to fill out several forms, which are listed and linked in grants.gov. See below for a description of forms and sections:

1. Standard Documents

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

ED Supplemental Information for SF-424

ED Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures Information

2. Budget Information

ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

3. ED Abstract Form

Project Abstract

4. Project Narrative

Application Narrative (Project Narrative Attachment Form)

5. Budget Narrative

Budget Narrative Attachment Form

6. Other Attachment Forms

Individual Resumes for Project Director & Key Personnel

Documentation of Nonprofit Status

7. Assurances and Certifications

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)

Grants.gov Lobbying Form

Part 1: Standard Documents

❑ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

❑ ED Supplemental Information for SF-424

These forms require basic identifying information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information (including name, address, e-mail address and UEI). When applying electronically via Grants.gov, you will need to ensure that the UEI on your application is the same as the UEI your organization used when it registered with the System for Award Management.

Applicants are advised to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF-424) first. Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct Assistance Listing Number and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms.

Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF-424). Although this form accepts attachments, ED will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application.

For more information, review the instructions online.

Part 2: Budget Information

❑ ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

This part of your application contains information about the Federal funding you are requesting. Remember that you must provide all requested budget information for each year of the project and the total column in order to be considered for Federal funding. Specific instructions for completing the budget forms are provided within this application package.

Applicants must provide a summary of requested Federal funds for each line-item category included on the worksheet. Applicants should provide dollar amounts for all requested years of the desired grant award. Example form can be found here.

Instructions for completing ED Form 524 Section A:

• Name of Institution/Organization: Enter the name of the applicant in the space provided.

• Personnel (line 1): Enter project personnel salaries and wages only. Include fees and expenses for consultants on line 6.

• Fringe Benefits (line 2): The institution’s normal fringe benefits contribution may be charged to the program. Leave this line blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages are treated as part of the indirect cost.

• Travel (line 3): Indicate the travel costs of employees and participants only if applicable.

• Equipment (line 4): Indicate the cost of tangible, non-expendable personal property that has a usefulness greater than one year and acquisition costs that are the lesser of the capitalization level established by the applicant entity for https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.ed.gov/media/document/ed-524-form-budget-information-non-construction-programs financial statement purposes or $10,000 per article. Lower limits may be established to maintain consistency with the applicant’s policy.

• Supplies (line 5): Show all tangible, expendable personal property. Direct supplies and materials differ from equipment in that they are consumable, expendable, and of a relatively low unit cost. Supplies purchased with grant funds should directly benefit the grant project and be necessary for achieving the goals of the project.

• Contractual (line 6): The contractual category should include all costs specifically incurred with actions that the applicant takes in conjunction with an established internal procurement system. Include consultant fees, expenses, and travel costs in this category if the consultant’s services are obtained through a written binding agreement or contract.

• Construction (line 7): Construction funds are not authorized.

• Other (line 8): Indicate all direct costs not covered on lines 1-6. For example, include costs such as space rental, required fees, honoraria and travel (where a contract is not in place for services), training, and communication and printing costs. Do not include costs that are included in the indirect cost rate.

• Total Direct Costs (line 9): The sum of lines 1-8.

• Indirect Costs (line 10): Indicate the applicant’s approved indirect cost rate, per 34 CFR 75.560-564. If an applicant does not have an approved indirect cost rate agreement with a cognizant Federal agency, the applicant must apply to ED for a temporary indirect cost rate if it wishes to charge indirect costs to the grant. For more information, go to ED’s website. In addition, a grantee, if it is eligible, may also use a de minimis rate as provided for under 2 CFR 200.414(f).

• Training Stipends (line 11): Not Applicable for this program.

• Total Cost (line 12): This should equal to sum of lines 9-11 (total direct costs + indirect + stipends). The sum for column one, labeled Project Year 1 (a), should also be equal to item 15a on the application cover sheet (SF Form 424).

Part 3: ED Abstract Form

For the application Abstract, applicants should use the template located at the 84.325J Grant Competition webpage.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/part-75/subject-group-ECFRbcd9b7674b344f2 https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division https://usdedeop.sharepoint.com/sites/EDOSERSClearance/ClearancePackages/FY26_84.325J_Notices/2%20CFR%20200.414(f) https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-special-populations/grants-special-education-and-individuals-disabilities/personnel-special-ed/84.325J https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-special-populations/grants-special-education-and-individuals-disabilities/personnel-special-ed/84.325J

Part 4: Project Narrative

This section should be attached as a single document to the Project Narrative Attachment Form and should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.

❑ Table of Contents

The Table of Contents shows where and how the important sections of your proposal are organized and should not exceed one double-spaced page.

❑ Application Narrative

ED encourages applicants to limit this section of the application to the equivalent of no more than 25-50 pages. The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the project abstract, the resumes, or the bibliography. However, the recommended page limit does apply to the Project Narrative.

Part 5: Budget Narrative

This section should be attached as a single document to the Budget Narrative Attachment Form. It should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.

Each application must also provide a Budget Narrative (which serves to meet the requirements of ED Form 524, Section C) for requested Federal funds. The Budget Narrative for requested Federal funds should provide a justification of how the money requested for each budget item will be spent.

This section requires an itemized budget breakdown for each project…