oppED-GRANTS-061318-004-cfda84.325-cid84-325D2018-1-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202

FISCAL YEAR 2018

APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS UNDER THE

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)

PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND

RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

(CFDA 84.325)

APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS;

PREPARATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, EARLY

INTERVENTION, AND RELATED SERVICES

LEADERSHIP PERSONNEL

(CFDA 84.325D)

DATED MATERIAL: OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: JULY 30, 2018

FORM APPROVED —OMB NO. 1820-0028, EXP. DATE: 09/30/2019

http://www.ed.gov/

GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE CFDA 84.325D

CONTENTS

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

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

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

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants ............................................ B28

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

Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services

Leadership Personnel (CFDA 84.325D) ............................................................................ C2

Selection Criteria and Format for the Applications for New Awards— Preparation of

Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel

(CFDA 84.325D) Competition ........................................................................................... C18

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Part II: Budget Information (Form 524)

Part III: Application Narrative

Part V: Assurances and Certifications

Assurances—Non-Construction Programs

Certification Regarding Lobbying

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Part VI: Additional Information

DUNS Number Instructions

Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgement

Grant and Contract Funding Information

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. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 45 hours and 40 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to:

U.S. Department of Education

Washington, DC 20202-4651

If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to:

Office of Special Education Programs

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Ave. SW, PCP 5159

Washington, DC 20202-2600

APPLICANT LETTER

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 (CFDA 84.325) program—

Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for

Children with Disabilities—Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related

Services Leadership Personnel (CFDA No. 84.325D).

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 A-43, 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 .PDF files only in a read only, flattened format.

Please be aware that applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will now be posted using Adobe forms. 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 D-1 of this application package, Application Transmittal Instructions and Requirements for

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

file:///C:/Users/Debra.Sturdivant/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/8WBIWOAI/www.Grants.gov http://www.sam.gov/

• MAXIMUM AWARD AMOUNT.

The competitions included in this package have 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 competitions included in this package limit the Part III Application Narrative to a recommended number of double-spaced pages. This recommended page limitation 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 C-3 and C-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/programs/osepprep/applicant.html

• ABSOLUTE PRIORITIES AND COMPETITIVE PREFERENCE PRIORITY.

This competition includes two absolute priorities and one competitive preference priority.

The Department will use peer reviewers to review and score applications on the selection criteria.

• Prior to the peer review, Department staff will determine if an application has met both absolute priorities and is eligible for peer review. An application that has not met both absolute priorities will not be considered for funding and may not be reviewed. Department staff will assign competitive preference priority points to applications meeting the competitive https://www2.ed.gov/programs/osepprep/applicant.html preference priority, up to a total of two points. PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN

RESEARCH.

The discretionary grant Application Form SF-424 requires applicants to indicate whether they plan to conduct research involving human subjects at any time during the proposed project period. The Protection of Human Subjects in Research Attachment is an integral part of the SF-424 form. It includes information that applicants need to complete the protection of human subjects item and, as appropriate, to provide additional information to the

Department regarding human subjects research projects. Additional information on completing the protection of human subjects item is also available and can be accessed on the internet at:

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

• RESPONSE TO GPRA.

As required by the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act (GPRA) of 2010 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 http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html https://www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel 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.

Directory

Research to Practice Division

Office of Special Education Programs http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html

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NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS

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FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program—Preparation of Special Education, Early

Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel

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

Education.

ACTION: Notice.

Overview Information:

Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities

Program—Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services

Leadership Personnel

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2018.

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

Dates:

Applications Available: June 13, 2018.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 30, 2018.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 26, 2018.

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 February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf

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For Further Information Contact:

Celia Rosenquist

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Room 5146, Potomac Center Plaza

Washington, DC 20202-5076.

Telephone: (202) 245-7373.

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 the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with

Disabilities are to:

(1) help address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants and toddlers, with disabilities; and

(2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful in serving those children.

Priorities:

This competition includes two absolute priorities and one competitive preference priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), Absolute Priority 1 is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481). Absolute Priority 2 and the competitive preference priority are from the Secretary’s Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary

Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR

9096)(Supplemental Priorities).

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Absolute Priorities:

For FY 2018 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 these priorities.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1: Preparation of Special Education, Early

Intervention, and Related Services Leadership

Personnel.

Background:

The mission of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is to improve early childhood, educational, and employment outcomes and raise expectations for all people with disabilities, their families, their communities, and the Nation.

The purpose of this Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services

Leadership Personnel competition is to support existing doctoral degree programs that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel who are well-qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions as researchers and preparers of special education, early intervention, and related services personnel in institutions of higher education

(IHEs), or as leaders in national organizations, State educational agencies (SEAs), lead agencies (LAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), early intervention services programs (EIS programs), or schools. Absolute Priority 1 is consistent with the Supplemental Priorities, specifically, Supplemental Priority 5--Meeting the Unique Needs of Students and Children With

Disabilities and/or Those with Unique Gifts and Talents; and Supplemental Priority 8--Promoting

Effective Instruction in Classrooms and Schools.

There is a well-documented need for leadership personnel to fill faculty and leadership positions in special education, early intervention, and related services (Castillo, Curtis, & Tan, 2014;

deBettencourt, Hoover, Rude, & Taylor, 2016; Montrosse & Young, 2012; Robb, Smith, &

Montrosse, 2012; Smith, Montrosse, Robb, Tyler, & Young, 2011; Smith, Robb, West, & Tyler, 2010; Woods & Snyder, 2009). These leaders conduct research to increase the knowledge of effective interventions and services for children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities. These leaders also teach practices supported by evidence to future special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education professionals who will work in a variety of educational settings and provide services directly to these children (Robb et al., 2012; Smith et al., 2010; West & Hardman, 2012). Shortages in these leadership positions limit the field’s capacity to generate new knowledge of effective interventions and to prepare future professionals to improve outcomes for children with disabilities (Smith et al., 2011). In

B-5 addition, leadership shortages limit the field’s capacity to ensure that children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities have the opportunity to meet challenging objectives and receive an educational program that is both meaningful and appropriately ambitious, which is essential for preparing them for future success.

Shortages of leadership personnel at State and local agencies to fill special education and early intervention administrator positions have also been noted (Billingsley, Crockett, & Kamman, 2014). These administrators supervise and evaluate the implementation of instructional programs supported by evidence to make sure that State or local agencies are meeting the needs of children with disabilities. Administrators also ensure that schools and programs meet

Federal, State, and local requirements for special education, early intervention, and related services (Lashley & Boscardin, 2003).

Federal support can increase the supply of personnel who have the necessary knowledge and skills to assume leadership positions in special education, early intervention, and related services as researchers and preparers of special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education personnel in IHEs, or as leaders in national organizations, SEAs, LAs, LEAs, EIS programs, or schools. Critical competencies for special education, early intervention, and related services personnel vary depending on the type of leadership personnel and the requirements of the preparation program but can include, for example, skills needed for postsecondary instruction, administration, policy development, professional practice, leadership, or research. However, all leadership personnel need to have current knowledge of effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities. This knowledge should be applicable to children served in a variety of educational settings (e.g., public schools, including charter schools, or private schools) or early childhood and early intervention settings (e.g., home, community-based, Early

Head Start and Head Start, child care, or public and private preschools), and the interventions and services must include those that promote literacy development, literacy skills, or other skills critical for college and today’s careers.

Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to support existing doctoral degree programs that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel at the doctoral degree level who are well qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions as researchers and preparers of special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education personnel in IHEs, or as leaders in national organizations, SEAs, LAs, LEAs, or EIS programs.

This priority supports two types of programs:

Type A programs are designed to prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel as researchers and preparers of personnel in IHEs. Type A programs culminate in a doctoral degree.

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Note: Preparation programs that lead to clinical doctoral degrees in related services (e.g., a

Doctor of Audiology degree or Doctor of Physical Therapy degree) are not included in this priority. These types of preparation programs are eligible to apply for funding under the Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related

Services priority (CFDA 84.325K) that the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) intends to fund in FY 2018.

Type B programs are designed to prepare special education or early intervention administrators to work as leaders in national organizations, SEAs, LAs, LEAs, or EIS programs. Type B programs prepare personnel for positions such as SEA special education administrators, LEA or regional special education directors, school-based special education directors, preschool coordinators, and early intervention coordinators. Type B programs culminate in a doctoral degree.

Note: OSEP intends to fund in FY 2018 at least seven high-quality applications proposing Type

B programs and may fund applications out of rank order. These applications must be of high quality and should score higher than 84 on a 100-point scale, exclusive of competitive preference points, in the technical review.

Note: The preparation of school principals is not included in this priority.

Note: Applicants must identify the specific program type, A or B, for which they are applying for funding as part of the abstract. Applicants may not submit the same proposal for more than one program type.

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

The requirements of this priority are as follows:

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

(1) The project addresses the need for leadership personnel to provide, prepare others to provide, or supervise the provision of effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities.1 These

For purposes of this priority, “high-need children with disabilities” refers to children or students (ages birth through 21, depending on the State) who are eligible for services under IDEA, and who may be at risk of educational failure or otherwise in need of special assistance or support because they: (1) are living in poverty, (2) are English learners, (3) are academically far below grade level, (4) have left

B-7 interventions should be applicable to children served in a variety of educational settings

(e.g., public schools, including charter schools, or private schools) or early childhood and early intervention settings (e.g., home, community-based, Early Head Start and Head Start, child care, or public and private preschools), and the interventions and services must include those that promote literacy development, literacy skills, or other skills critical for college and today’s careers. To address this requirement, the applicant must present--

(i) Appropriate and applicable data (e.g., national, State) demonstrating the need for the leadership personnel the applicant proposes to prepare; and

(ii) Data demonstrating the success of the doctoral program to date in producing leaders in special education, early intervention, or related services such as: the professional accomplishments of program graduates (e.g., public service, honors, or peer-reviewed publications (for Type A programs)) that demonstrate their leadership in special education, early intervention, or related services; the success of program graduates as educators of teachers, service providers, or administrators, including any results from evaluating the impact of those teachers, service providers, or administrators, on the outcomes of children with disabilities; the average amount of time it takes for program graduates to complete the program; the number of program graduates; and the percentage of program graduates finding employment directly related to their preparation.

Note: Data on the success of a doctoral 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., the total number of scholars or program graduates) must be provided.

(2) Scholar competencies to be acquired in the program relate to knowledge and skills needed by the leadership personnel the applicant proposes to prepare, including knowledge of technologies designed to provide instruction. To address this requirement, the applicant must--

(i) Identify the competencies the competencies needed by leadership personnel in postsecondary instruction, administration, policy development, professional practice, leadership, or research in order to provide, prepare others to provide, or supervise the provision of effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities; and

(ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the leadership preparation program, including any empirical support, that will promote the acquisition of the identified competencies needed by school before receiving a regular high school diploma, (5) are at risk of not graduating with a regular high school diploma on time, (6) are homeless, (7) are in foster care, or (8) have been incarcerated.

B-8 leadership personnel, including knowledge of technologies designed to provide instruction, and, where applicable, how these competencies relate to the project’s specialized preparation area.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the Project

Services,” how--

(1) The applicant will recruit and support high-quality scholars. The narrative must describe--

(i) The selection criteria the applicant will use to identify high-quality applicants for admission in the program;

(ii) The recruitment strategies the applicant will use to attract high-quality applicants and any specific recruitment strategies targeting high-quality applicants from groups that are underrepresented in the teaching profession, including individuals with disabilities; and

(iii) The approach the applicant will use to help all scholars, including individuals with disabilities, complete the program; and

(2) The project is designed to promote the acquisition of the competencies needed by leadership personnel to provide, prepare others to provide, or supervise the provision of effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities. These interventions should be applicable to children served in a variety of educational settings (e.g., public schools, including charter schools, or private schools) or early childhood and early intervention settings (e.g., home, community-based, Early Head Start and Head Start, child care, or public and private preschools), and the interventions and services must include those that promote literacy development, literacy skills, or other skills critical for college and today’s careers. To address this requirement, the applicant must--

(i) Describe how the components of the project, such as coursework, internship experiences, research requirements, and other opportunities provided to scholars to analyze data, critique research and methodologies, and practice newly acquired knowledge and skills, will enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by leadership personnel for postsecondary instruction, administration, policy development, professional practice, leadership, or research in special education, early intervention, or related services;

(ii) Describe how the components of the project are integrated in order to support the acquisition and enhancement of the identified competencies needed by leadership personnel in special education, early intervention, or related services, including knowledge of technologies designed to provide instruction;

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(iii) Describe how the components of the project prepare scholars to provide, prepare others to provide, or supervise the provision of effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities, in a variety of educational or early childhood and early intervention settings;

(iv) Demonstrate, through a letter of support from a partnering agency, school, or program, that it will provide scholars with a high-quality internship experience in a high-need LEA;2 a high-poverty school;3 a school identified for comprehensive support and improvement;4 a school implementing a targeted support and improvement plan5 for children with disabilities; an early childhood and early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA; or an early childhood and early intervention program 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;

(v) Describe how the project will use resources, as appropriate, available through technical assistance centers, which may include centers funded by the Department; and

(vi) Describe the approach that faculty members will use to mentor scholars with the goal of helping them acquire competencies needed by leadership personnel and advancing their careers in special education, early intervention, or related services; and

(vii) Describe how the components of the project, mentoring, and other project opportunities will promote the acquisition of scholars’ critical leadership skills, including communication, networking, and collaboration.

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

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 is determined on the basis of the most currently available data.

For the purposes of this priority, the term “school identified for comprehensive support and improvement” means a statewide identified category of school that includes (a) not less than the lowest-performing five percent of all schools receiving funds under this part in the State; (b) all public high schools in the State failing to graduate one-third or more of their students; (c) public schools in the State described under section 1111(d)(3)(A)(i)(II) of the ESEA; and (d) at the discretion of the State, additional statewide categories of schools as defined in section 1111(c)(4)(D)(i) of the ESEA.

For the purposes of this priority, the term “schools implementing targeted support and improvement plans” means a school 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.

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(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the Project

Evaluation,” how the applicant will--

(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed leadership project have been met.

The applicant must describe the outcomes to be measured for both the project and the scholars, particularly the acquisition of scholars’ competencies and their impact on the services provided by future teachers, service providers, or administrators; and the evaluation methodologies to be employed, including proposed instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses;

(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on current scholars and scholars who graduate from the program to improve the proposed program on an ongoing basis; and

(3) Report the evaluation results to OSEP in its annual and final performance reports.

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

(1) Include in appendix B to the application --

(i) Course syllabi for all coursework in the major and any required coursework for a minor;

(ii) Course syllabi for all research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses required by the degree program and elective research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses that have been completed by more than one scholar enrolled in the program in the last five years; and

(iii) For new coursework, proposed syllabi;

(2) Ensure that the proposed number of scholars to be recruited into the program can graduate from the program by the end of the grant’s project period. The described scholar recruitment strategies, including recruitment of individuals with disabilities, the program components and their sequence, and proposed budget must be consistent with this project requirement;

(3) Ensure scholars will not be selected based on race or national origin/ethnicity. Per the

Supreme Court’s decision in Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200 (1995), the

Department does not allow the selection of individuals on the basis of race or national origin/ethnicity. For this reason, grantees must ensure that any discussion of the recruitment of scholars based on race or national origin/ethnicity distinguishes between increasing the pool of applicants and actually selecting scholars;

(4) Ensure that the project will meet all requirements for grantees in disbursing scholarships as outlined in 34 CFR 304.23. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements would

B-11 be a violation of the grant award that could result in sanctions, including the grantee being liable for returning any misused funds to the Department. Specifically, before disbursement of scholarship assistance to an individual, a grantee must--

(i) Ensure that the scholar—

(A) Is a citizen or national of the United States;

(B) Is a permanent resident of--

(1) Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; or

(2) The Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of

Palau during the period in which these entities are eligible to receive an award under the

Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program; or

(C) Provides evidence from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that the individual is--

(1) A lawful permanent resident of the United States; or

(2) In the United States for other than a temporary purpose with the intention of becoming a citizen or permanent resident;

(ii) Limit the cost of attendance portion of the scholarship assistance (as discussed in 34 CFR

304.21(a)) to the amount by which the individual’s cost of attendance at the institution exceeds the amount of grant assistance the scholar is to receive for the same academic year under title IV of the HEA; and

(iii) Obtain a Certification of Eligibility for Federal Assistance from each scholar, as prescribed in

34 CFR 75.60, 75.61, and 75.62.

(5) Ensure that the project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR 304.23, particularly those related to informing all scholarship recipients of their service obligation commitment. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements is a violation of the grant award that may result in sanctions, including the grantee being liable for returning any misused funds to the

Department. Specifically, the grantee must prepare, and ensure that each scholarship recipient signs, the following two documents:

(i) A Pre-Scholarship Agreement prior to the scholar receiving a scholarship for an eligible program (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1820-0686); and

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(ii) An Exit Certification immediately upon the scholar leaving, completing, or otherwise exiting that program (OMB Control Number 1820-0686);

(6) Ensure that prior approval from the OSEP project officer will be obtained before admitting additional scholars beyond the number of scholars proposed in the application and before transferring a scholar to another preparation program funded by OSEP;

(7) Ensure that the project will meet the statutory requirements in section 662(e) through 662(h) of IDEA;

(8) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total requested budget over the five years will be used for scholar support;

(9) Ensure that the IHE will not require scholars enrolled in the program to work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a condition of receiving support (e.g., tuition, stipends) from the proposed project, unless the work is specifically related to the acquisition of scholars’ competencies and the requirements for completion of their personnel preparation program.

This prohibition on work as a condition of receiving support does not apply to the service obligation requirements in section 662(h) of IDEA;

(10) Ensure that the budget includes attendance of the project director at a three-day project directors’ meeting in Washington, DC, during each year of the project. The budget may also provide for the attendance of scholars at the same three-day project directors’ meetings in

Washington, DC;

(11) Ensure that the project director, key personnel, and scholars will actively participate in the cross-project collaboration, advanced trainings, and cross-site learning opportunities (e.g., webinars, briefings) supported by OSEP. This network is intended to promote opportunities for participants to share resources and generate new knowledge by addressing topics of common interest to participants across projects including Department priorities and needs in the field;

(12) Ensure that if the project maintains a Web site, that it will be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;

(13) Ensure that scholar accomplishments (e.g., publications, awards) will be reported in annual and final performance reports; and

(14) Ensure that annual data annual data will be submitted on each scholar who receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to collect data for program performance measure reporting under the Government

Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). Applicants are encouraged to visit the

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Personnel Development Program Data Collection System (DCS) website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information about this data collection requirement.

Typically, data collection begins in January of each year, and grantees are notified by email about the data collection period for their grant, although grantees may submit data as needed, year round. This data collection must be submitted electronically by the grantee and does not supplant the annual grant performance report required of each grantee for continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590). Data collection includes the submission of a signed, completed Pre-Scholarship Agreement and Exit Certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (4) of this section, subparagraphs (i) and (ii)).

Absolute Priority 2: Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education with an Increased Focus on Improving Student Outcomes, and Providing

Increased Value to Students and Taxpayers.

Background:

The Department seeks to encourage grantees to leverage sources of support that may exist for their activities, beyond what is provided by the Department. Therefore, we have included an absolute priority for matching support through non-Federal contributions, either in cash or in-kind donations. Although the cash or in-kind resources to be contributed must be at least 10 percent of the total grant award, we encourage a higher percentage through the competitive preference priority included within this absolute priority.

Applicants must address this absolute priority, and the competitive preference priority, if applicable, in the budget information (ED Form 524, Section B) and budget narrative. The applicant must propose the amount of cash or in-kind resources to be contributed for each year of the grant.

Priority:

Projects that are designed to demonstrate matching support6 for the proposed project at 10 percent of the total amount of the grant.

For the purposes of this priority, matching support can be either cash or in-kind donations. According to 2 CFR 200.306, a cash expenditure or outlay of cash with respect to the matching budget by the grantee is considered a cash contribution. Certain cash contributions that the organization normally considers an indirect cost should not be counted as a direct cost for the purposes of meeting matching support. According to 2 CFR 200.434, third party in-kind contributions are services or property (e.g., land, buildings, equipment, materials, supplies), that are contributed by a non-Federal third-party at no-charge to the grantee.

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Competitive Preference Priority:

Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to applications that address the following priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional one point to an application that meets paragraph (i) of the competitive preference priority and an additional two points to an application that meets paragraph (ii) of the competitive preference priority.

This priority is:

Projects that are designed to demonstrate matching support for the proposed projects:

(i) 50 percent of the total amount of the grant (1 point); or

(ii) 100 percent of the total amount of the grant (2 points).

References:

Billingsley, B. S., Crockett, J., & Kamman, M. L. (2014). Recruiting and retaining teachers and administrators in special education. In P. T. Sindelar, E. D. McCray, M. T. Brownell, & B.

Lignugaris/Kraft (Eds.), Handbook of research on special education teacher preparation

(pp. 94-112). New York, NY: Routledge.

Castillo, J. M., Curtis, M. J., & Tan, S. Y. (2014). Personnel needs in school psychology: A 10-year follow-up study on predicted personnel shortages. Psychology in the Schools, 51, 832-849.

deBettencourt, L. U., Hoover, J. J., Rude, H. A., & Taylor, S. S. (2016). Preparing special education higher education faculty: The influence of contemporary education issues and policy recommendations. Teacher Education and Special Education, 39, 121-133.

Lashley, C., & Boscardin, M. L. (2003). Special education administration at the crossroads:

Availability, licensure, and preparation of special education administrators. Gainesville, FL: Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education, University of Florida. Retrieved from www.coe.ufl.edu/copsse/docs/IB-8/1/IB-8.pdf.

Montrosse, B. E., & Young, C. J. (2012). Market demand for special education faculty. Teacher

Education and Special Education, 35, 140-153.

Robb, S. M., Smith, D. D., & Montrosse, B. E. (2012). A context of the demand for special education faculty: A study of special education teacher preparation programs. Teacher

Education and Special Education, 35, 128-139.

Smith, D. D., Montrosse, B. E., Robb, S. M., Tyler, N. C., & Young, C. (2011). Assessing trends in leadership: Special education’s capacity to produce a highly qualified workforce.

Claremont, CA: IRIS@CGU, Claremont Graduate University.

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/osepprep/www.coe.ufl.edu/copsse/docs/IB-8/1/IB-8.pdf

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Smith, D. D., Robb, S. M., West, J., & Tyler, N. C. (2010). The changing education landscape:

How special education leadership preparation can make a difference for teachers and their students with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33, 25-43.

West, J. E., & Hardman, H. L. (2012). Averting current and future special education faculty shortages: Policy implications and recommendations. Teacher Education and Special

Education, 35, 154-160.

Woods, J., & Snyder, P. (2009). Interdisciplinary doctoral leadership training in early intervention. Infants & Young Children, 22(1), 32-34.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:

Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and requirements.

Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.

Program Authority:

20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.

Applicable Regulations:

(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide

Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.

(c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for

Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 3474.

(d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education (IHEs) only.

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II. AWARD INFORMATION

Type of Award:

Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds:

$4,250,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2019 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards:

$225,000 to $250,000 per year

Estimated Average Size of Award:

$237,500 per year

Maximum Award:

We will not make an award exceeding $250,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.

Estimated Number of Awards:

17.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period:

Up to 60 months.

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III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants:

IHEs and private nonprofit organizations.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching:

Cost sharing or matching is required for this competition. See Absolute Priority 2.

3. Eligible Subgrantees:

(a) Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee may award subgrants--to directly carry out project activities described in its application--to the following types of entities: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the application.

(b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application.

4. Other: General Requirements:

(a) The projects funded under this competition must make positive efforts to employ, and advance in employment, qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

(b) The applicant and grant recipient funded under this competition must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

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IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Application Submission Instructions:

For information on how to submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal

Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

2. Intergovernmental Review:

This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.

Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.

3. Funding Restrictions:

We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

4.…