[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 146 (Wednesday, July 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45613-45621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16549]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; State Personnel Development Grants
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications (NIA) for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for the State
Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) program, Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.323A. This notice relates to the
approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.
DATES:
Applications Available: July 29, 2020.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 10, 2020.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than August 3, 2020,
OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide
technical assistance to interested applicants. The webinars may be
found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Coffey, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5161, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6673. Email:
[email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to assist State
educational agencies (SEAs) in reforming and improving their systems
for personnel preparation and professional development in early
intervention, educational, and transition services in order to improve
results for children with disabilities.
Priorities: This notice contains three absolute priorities. In
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Absolute Priority 1 is from
the notice of final priorities and definitions published in the Federal
Register on August 2, 2012 (77 FR 45944) (2012 NFP). Absolute Priority
2 is from sections 651 through 655 of IDEA, as amended by the Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Absolute Priority 3 is from the notice of
final priority and definitions for this program published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register (2020 NFP).
Under this competition, Absolute Priority 3 constitutes its own
funding category, and the Department intends to award one-third of the
SPDG grants under this competition to grants under Absolute Priority 3
provided applications of sufficient quality are submitted. Applications
will be rank ordered separately for Absolute Priority 3. Therefore,
applicants must clearly identify if the proposed project addresses
Absolute Priority 3.
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Applicants must
address Absolute Priorities 1 and 2. They may also choose to address
Absolute Priority 3. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only
applications that meet all of the priorities that they choose to
address.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1: Effective and Efficient Delivery of
Professional Development.
The Department establishes a priority to assist SEAs in reforming
and
[[Page 45614]]
improving their systems for personnel (as that term is defined in
section 651(b) of IDEA) preparation and professional development of
individuals providing early intervention, educational, and transition
services in order to improve results for children with disabilities.
In order to meet this priority, an applicant must demonstrate in
the SPDG State Plan it submits, as part of its application under
section 653(a)(2) of IDEA, that its proposed project will--
(1) Use evidence-based professional development practices that will
increase implementation of evidence-based practices and result in
improved outcomes for children with disabilities;
(2) Provide ongoing assistance to personnel receiving SPDG-
supported professional development that supports the implementation of
evidence-based practices with fidelity (as defined in this notice); and
(3) Use technology to more efficiently and effectively provide
ongoing professional development to personnel, including to personnel
in rural areas and to other populations, such as personnel in urban or
high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) (as defined in this
notice).
Absolute Priority 2: State Personnel Development Grants.
Statutory Requirements. To meet this priority, an applicant must
meet the following statutory requirements:
1. State Personnel Development Plan.
An applicant must submit a State Personnel Development Plan that
identifies and addresses the State and local needs for the personnel
preparation and professional development of personnel, as well as
individuals who provide direct supplementary aids and services to
children with disabilities, and that--
(a) Is designed to enable the State to meet the requirements of
section 612(a)(14) of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA and section
635(a)(8) and (9) of IDEA;
(b) Is based on an assessment of State and local needs that
identifies critical aspects and areas in need of improvement related to
the preparation, ongoing training, and professional development of
personnel who serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children with
disabilities within the State, including--
(1) Current and anticipated personnel vacancies and shortages; and
(2) The number of preservice and inservice programs;
(c) Is integrated and aligned, to the maximum extent possible, with
State plans and activities under the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA); the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended; and the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA);
(d) Describes a partnership agreement that is in effect for the
period of the grant, which agreement must specify--
(1) The nature and extent of the partnership described in
accordance with section 652(b) of IDEA and the respective roles of each
member of the partnership, including, if applicable, an individual,
entity, or agency other than the SEA that has the responsibility under
State law for teacher preparation and certification; and
(2) How the SEA will work with other persons and organizations
involved in, and concerned with, the education of children with
disabilities, including the respective roles of each of the persons and
organizations;
(e) Describes how the strategies and activities the SEA uses to
address identified professional development and personnel needs will be
coordinated with activities supported with other public resources
(including funds provided under Part B and Part C of IDEA and retained
for use at the State level for personnel and professional development
purposes) and private resources;
(f) Describes how the SEA will align its personnel development plan
with the plan and application submitted under sections 1111 and
2101(d), respectively, of the ESEA;
(g) Describes strategies the SEA will use to address the identified
professional development and personnel needs and how such strategies
will be implemented, including--
(1) A description of the programs and activities that will provide
personnel with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of, and
improve the performance and achievement of, infants, toddlers,
preschoolers, and children with disabilities; and
(2) How such strategies will be integrated, to the maximum extent
possible, with other activities supported by grants funded under
section 662 of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA;
(h) Provides an assurance that the SEA will provide technical
assistance to LEAs to improve the quality of professional development
available to meet the needs of personnel who serve children with
disabilities;
(i) Provides an assurance that the SEA will provide technical
assistance to entities that provide services to infants and toddlers
with disabilities to improve the quality of professional development
available to meet the needs of personnel serving those children;
(j) Describes how the SEA will recruit and retain teachers who meet
the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of IDEA, as
amended by the ESSA, and other qualified personnel in geographic areas
of greatest need;
(k) Describes the steps the SEA will take to ensure that
economically disadvantaged and minority children are not taught at
higher rates by teachers who do not meet the qualifications described
in section 612(a)(14)(C) of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA; and
(l) Describes how the SEA will assess, on a regular basis, the
extent to which the strategies implemented have been effective in
meeting the performance goals described in section 612(a)(15) of IDEA,
as amended by the ESSA.
2. Partnerships.
(a) Required Partners.
Applicants must establish a partnership with LEAs and other State
agencies involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with
disabilities, including--
(1) Not less than one institution of higher education (IHE); and
(2) The State agencies responsible for administering Part C of
IDEA, early education, child care, and vocational rehabilitation
programs.
(b) Other Partners.
An SEA must work in partnership with other persons and
organizations involved in, and concerned with, the education of
children with disabilities, which may include--
(1) The Governor;
(2) Parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26;
(3) Parents of nondisabled children ages birth through 26;
(4) Individuals with disabilities;
(5) Parent training and information centers or community parent
resource centers funded under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA,
respectively;
(6) Community-based and other nonprofit organizations involved in
the education and employment of individuals with disabilities;
(7) Personnel as defined in section 651(b) of IDEA;
(8) The State advisory panel established under Part B of IDEA;
(9) The State interagency coordinating council established under
Part C of IDEA;
(10) Individuals knowledgeable about vocational education;
(11) The State agency for higher education;
(12) Public agencies with jurisdiction in the areas of health,
mental health, social services, and juvenile justice;
(13) Other providers of professional development who work with
infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children with disabilities;
[[Page 45615]]
(14) Other individuals; and
(15) An individual, entity, or agency as a partner in accordance
with section 652(b)(3) of IDEA, if State law assigns responsibility for
teacher preparation and certification to an individual, entity, or
agency other than the SEA.
3. Use of Funds.
(a) Professional Development Activities--Each SEA that receives a
grant under this program must use the grant funds to support activities
in accordance with the State's Personnel Development Plan, including
one or more of the following:
(1) Carrying out programs that provide support to both special
education and regular education teachers of children with disabilities
and principals, such as programs that--
(i) Provide teacher mentoring, team teaching, reduced class
schedules and caseloads, and intensive professional development;
(ii) Use standards or assessments for guiding beginning teachers
that are consistent with challenging State academic achievement
standards and with the requirements for professional development, as
defined in section 8101 of the ESEA; and
(iii) Encourage collaborative and consultative models of providing
early intervention, special education, and related services.
(2) Encouraging and supporting the training of special education
and regular education teachers and administrators to effectively use
and integrate technology--
(i) Into curricula and instruction, including training to improve
the ability to collect, manage, and analyze data to improve teaching,
decision making, school improvement efforts, and accountability;
(ii) To enhance learning by children with disabilities; and
(iii) To effectively communicate with parents.
(3) Providing professional development activities
that--
(i) Improve the knowledge of special education and regular
education teachers concerning--
(A) The academic and developmental or functional needs of students
with disabilities; or
(B) Effective instructional strategies, methods, and skills, and
the use of State academic content standards and student academic
achievement standards, and State assessments, to improve teaching
practices and student academic achievement;
(ii) Improve the knowledge of special education and regular
education teachers and principals and, in appropriate cases,
paraprofessionals, concerning effective instructional practices, and
that--
(A) Provide training in how to teach and address the needs of
children with different learning styles and children who are English
learners;
(B) Involve collaborative groups of teachers, administrators, and,
in appropriate cases, related services personnel;
(C) Provide training in methods of--
(I) Positive behavioral interventions and supports to improve
student behavior in the classroom;
(II) Scientifically based reading instruction, including early
literacy instruction;
(III) Early and appropriate interventions to identify and help
children with disabilities;
(IV) Effective instruction for children with low-incidence
disabilities;
(V) Successful transitioning to postsecondary opportunities; and
(VI) Classroom-based techniques to assist children prior to
referral for special education;
(D) Provide training to enable personnel to work with and involve
parents in their child's education, including parents of low income and
children with disabilities who are English learners;
(E) Provide training for special education personnel and regular
education personnel in planning, developing, and implementing effective
and appropriate individualized education programs (IEPs); and
(F) Provide training to meet the needs of students with significant
health, mobility, or behavioral needs prior to serving those students;
(iii) Train administrators, principals, and other relevant school
personnel in conducting effective IEP meetings; and
(iv) Train early intervention, preschool, and related services
providers, and other relevant school personnel in conducting effective
individualized family service plan (IFSP) meetings.
(4) Developing and implementing initiatives to promote the
recruitment and retention of special education teachers who meet the
qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of IDEA, as amended
by the ESSA, particularly initiatives that have proven effective in
recruiting and retaining teachers who meet those qualifications,
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA,
including programs that provide--
(i) Teacher mentoring from exemplary special education teachers,
principals, or superintendents;
(ii) Induction and support for special education teachers during
their first three years of employment as teachers; or
(iii) Incentives, including financial incentives, to retain special
education teachers who have a record of success in helping students
with disabilities.
(5) Carrying out programs and activities that are designed to
improve the quality of personnel who serve children with disabilities,
such as--
(i) Innovative professional development programs (which may be
provided through partnerships with IHEs), including programs that train
teachers and principals to integrate technology into curricula and
instruction to improve teaching, learning, and technology literacy and
that are consistent with the definition of professional development in
section 8101 of the ESEA; and
(ii) The development and use of proven, cost effective strategies
for the implementation of professional development activities, such as
through the use of technology and distance learning.
(6) Carrying out programs and activities that are designed to
improve the quality of early intervention personnel, including
paraprofessionals and primary referral sources, such as--
(i) Professional development programs to improve the delivery of
early intervention services;
(ii) Initiatives to promote the recruitment and retention of early
intervention personnel; and
(iii) Interagency activities to ensure that early intervention
personnel are adequately prepared and trained.
(b) Other Activities--Each SEA that receives a grant under this
program must use the grant funds to support activities in accordance
with the State's Personnel Development Plan, including one or more of
the following:
(1) Reforming special education and regular education teacher
certification (including re-certification) or licensing requirements to
ensure that--
(i) Special education and regular education teachers have--
(A) The training and information necessary to address the full
range of needs of children with disabilities across disability
categories; and
(B) The necessary subject matter knowledge and teaching skills in
the academic subjects that the teachers teach;
(ii) Special education and regular education teacher certification
(including re-certification) or licensing requirements are aligned with
challenging State academic content standards; and
(iii) Special education and regular education teachers have the
subject
[[Page 45616]]
matter knowledge and teaching skills, including technology literacy,
necessary to help students with disabilities meet challenging State
academic achievement standards.
(2) Programs that establish, expand, or improve alternative routes
for State certification of special education teachers for individuals
with a baccalaureate or master's degree who meet the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C)of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA,
including mid-career professionals from other occupations,
paraprofessionals, and recent college or university graduates with
records of academic distinction who demonstrate the potential to become
highly effective special education teachers.
(3) Teacher advancement initiatives for special education teachers
that promote professional growth and emphasize multiple career paths
(such as paths to becoming a career teacher, mentor teacher, or
exemplary teacher) and pay differentiation.
(4) Developing and implementing mechanisms to assist LEAs and
schools in effectively recruiting and retaining special education
teachers who meet the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C)
of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA.
(5) Reforming tenure systems, implementing teacher testing for
subject matter knowledge, and implementing teacher testing for State
certification or licensure, consistent with title II of the HEA (20
U.S.C. 1021 et seq.).
(6) Funding projects to promote reciprocity of teacher
certification or licensing between or among States for special
education teachers, except that no reciprocity agreement developed
under this absolute priority may lead to the weakening of any State
teacher certification or licensing requirement.
(7) Assisting LEAs to serve children with disabilities through the
development and use of proven, innovative strategies to deliver
intensive professional development programs that are both cost
effective and easily accessible, such as strategies that involve
delivery through the use of technology, peer networks, and distance
learning.
(8) Developing, or assisting LEAs in developing, merit-based
performance systems and strategies that provide differential and bonus
pay for special education teachers.
(9) Supporting activities that ensure that teachers are able to use
challenging State academic content standards and student academic
achievement standards, and State assessments for all children with
disabilities, to improve instructional practices and improve the
academic achievement of children with disabilities.
(10) When applicable, coordinating with, and expanding centers
established under section 2113(c)(18) of the ESEA, as amended by the No
Child Left Behind Act of 2002, to benefit special education teachers.
(c) Contracts and Subgrants--An SEA that receives a grant under
this program--
(1) Must award contracts or subgrants to LEAs, IHEs, parent
training and information centers, or community parent resource centers,
as appropriate, to carry out the State Personnel Development Plan; and
(2) May award contracts and subgrants to other public and private
entities, including the lead agency under Part C of IDEA, to carry out
the State plan.
(d) Use of Funds for Professional Development--An SEA that receives
a grant under this program must use--
(1) Not less than 90 percent of the funds the SEA receives under
the grant for any fiscal year for the Professional Development
Activities described in paragraph (a); and
(2) Not more than 10 percent of the funds the SEA receives under
the grant for any fiscal year for the Other Activities described in
paragraph (b).
Absolute Priority 3: Choice in Professional Development.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund SPDG grants to SEAs that
empower teachers and other personnel to select professional development
activities that meet their individual needs to improve results for
children with disabilities. States will meet the priority if they
describe in their application how they will develop personalized
professional development projects to carry out their State plan under
section 653 of IDEA and implement professional development activities
that are consistent with the use of funds provisions in section 654 of
IDEA. This would be accomplished by using funds under the SPDG program
for stipends or other mechanisms to provide personnel with choice in
selecting professional development options that will count toward State
or local professional development requirements, as appropriate, such as
the number of hours personnel must fill or the competencies they must
acquire to obtain or retain certification, and that are designed to
meet their individual needs and thus improve results for children with
disabilities.
Application Requirements: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, the following application requirements apply.
Applicants must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will develop personalized
professional development activities using stipends or other mechanisms
that provide personnel choice in professional development options
designed to meet their individual needs and count toward State or local
professional development requirements and thus improve results for
children with disabilities;
(b) Describe how the State will select the individual(s) or groups
of personnel that will be provided with professional development
options, including the extent to which applicants will prioritize
selecting individuals or groups of personnel serving rural children
with disabilities or disadvantaged children with disabilities, such as
children from low-income families. If applicable, applicants should
specify how they will prioritize personnel if demand for professional
development among the individuals or groups of personnel that the
applicant proposes to serve exceeds what available funds can support;
(c) Describe how the State will create a list of approved
professional development options that meet the requirements of the SPDG
program. This description should include how the applicant will engage
with a range of stakeholders, including school administrators,
personnel serving students with disabilities, families of students with
disabilities and individuals with disabilities, and other State or
local agencies serving individuals with disabilities, such as juvenile
justice agencies, to determine which professional development options
it will offer. Specifically, professional development options must--
(1) Use evidence-based (as defined in this notice) professional
development methods that will increase implementation of evidence-based
practices and result in improved outcomes for children with
disabilities;
(2) Include ongoing assistance that supports the implementation of
evidence-based practices with fidelity (as defined in this notice); and
(3) Use technology to more efficiently and effectively provide
ongoing professional development to personnel, including to personnel
in rural areas and in urban or high-need local
[[Page 45617]]
educational agencies (LEAs) (as defined in this notice);
(d) If applicable, describe the steps that personnel would need to
take to request professional development options not already on a list
of approved professional development options, the justification that
personnel would need to provide to demonstrate how the selected options
would improve results for children with disabilities, and how personnel
would be notified if their request was approved or disapproved in
writing and within 14 days; and
(e) Describe--
(1) The extent to which the proposed project will use professional
development practices supported by evidence to support the attainment
of identified competencies;
(2) How improvement in implementation of SPDG-supported practices
over time will be demonstrated by participants in SPDG professional
development activities;
(3) The extent to which the proposed project will use SPDG
professional development funds to provide activities designed to
sustain the use of SPDG-supported practices;
(4) How the proposed project will determine whether special
education teachers who meet the qualifications described in section
612(a)(14)(C) of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA, that have participated
in SPDG-supported special education teacher retention activities remain
as special education teachers two years after their initial
participation in these activities; and
(5) How the proposed project will assess whether and to what extent
the project improves outcomes for children with disabilities.
Additional SPDG Requirements
Projects funded under this program must--
(a) Budget for a three-day project directors' meeting in
Washington, DC, during each year of the project;
(b) Budget $4,000 annually for support of the SPDG Program website
currently administered by the University of Oregon
(www.signetwork.org); and
(c) If a project receiving assistance under this program authority
maintains a website, include relevant information and documents in a
form that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for
accessibility.
Definitions:
The following definitions apply to this competition. We provide the
source of the definitions in parentheses.
Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by
one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, and promising
evidence. (34 CFR 77.1)
Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare
outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are
otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment
group receiving a project component or a control group that does not.
Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies,
and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental
studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g.,
sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression
discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbook
(version 3.0):
(i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for
example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the
project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to
receive the project component (the control group).
(ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project
component being evaluated using a measured variable (e.g., assigning
students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental
education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of
outcomes.
(iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case
(e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in
the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to
determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the
treatment. (34 CFR 77.1)
Fidelity means the delivery of instruction in the way in which it
was designed to be delivered. (77 FR 45944)
High-need LEA means, in accordance with section 2102(3) of the
ESEA, an LEA--
(a) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families with
incomes below the poverty line (as that term is defined in section
8101(41) of the ESEA), or for which not less than 20 percent of the
children served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the
poverty line; and
(b) For which there is (1) a high percentage of teachers not
teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels that the teachers
were trained to teach, or (2) a high percentage of teachers with
emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensing.
Lead agency means the agency designated by the State's Governor
under section 635(a)(10) of IDEA and 34 CFR 303.120 that receives funds
under section 643 of IDEA to administer the State's responsibilities
under part C of IDEA. (34 CFR 303.22)
Local educational agency (LEA) means a public board of education or
other public authority legally constituted within a State for either
administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service
function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city,
county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a
State, or for such combination of school districts or counties as are
recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public
elementary schools or secondary schools. (Section 602(19) of IDEA (20
U.S.C. 1401(19)))
Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention,
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers). (34
CFR 77.1)
Promising evidence means that there is evidence of the
effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant
outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following--
(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a ``strong evidence
base'' or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice
guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a
``positive effect'' or ``potentially positive effect'' on a relevant
outcome with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially
negative effect'' on a relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate,
that--
(A) Is an experimental study, a quasi-experimental design study, or
a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with
statistical controls for selection bias (e.g., a study using regression
methods to account for differences between a treatment group and a
comparison group); and
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome. (34 CFR 77.1)
Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that
attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation
(e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being
compared), can meet WWC
[[Page 45618]]
standards with reservations, but cannot meet WWC standards without
reservations, as described in the WWC Handbook. (34 CFR 77.1)
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s)
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the
specific goals of the program. (34 CFR 77.1)
State educational agency means the State board of education or
other agency or officer primarily responsible for the State supervision
of public elementary schools and secondary schools, or, if there is no
such officer or agency, an officer or agency designated by the Governor
or by State law. (Section 602(32) of IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1401(32)))
Strong evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness
of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample
that overlaps with the populations and settings proposed to receive
that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following--
(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``strong evidence base'' for the
corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1
or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``positive effect'' on a
relevant outcome based on a ``medium to large'' extent of evidence,
with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially negative
effect'' on a relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study reviewed and reported by the WWC
using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by
the Department using version 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, as appropriate,
and that--
(A) Meets WWC standards without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative
effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State,
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies
of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this
requirement. (34 CFR 77.1)
What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook) means the
standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Procedures and Standards
Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (incorporated by reference, see 34
CFR 77.2). Study findings eligible for review under WWC standards can
meet WWC standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with
reservations, or not meet WWC standards. WWC practice guides and
intervention reports include findings from systematic reviews of
evidence as described in the Handbook documentation. (34 CFR 77.1)
Note: The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards
Handbook (Version 3.0), as well as the more recent What Works
Clearinghouse Handbooks released in October 2017 (Version 4.0) and
January 2020 (Version 4.1), are available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1451-1455.
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 as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) The 2012 NFP. (e) The 2020 NFP.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
Note: Projects must be awarded and operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the
U.S. Constitution and the Federal civil rights laws.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $11,727,418.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2021 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$2,100,000 (for the 50 States,
the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). In the
case of outlying areas (United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), awards
will be not less than $80,000.
Note: We will set the amount of each award after considering--
(1) The amount of funds available for making the grants;
(2) The relative population of the State or outlying area;
(3) The types of activities proposed by the State or outlying
area;
(4) The alignment of proposed activities with section 612(a)(14)
of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA;
(5) The alignment of proposed activities with State plans and
applications submitted under sections 1111 and 2101(d),
respectively, of the ESEA; and
(6) The use, as appropriate, of research and instruction
supported by evidence.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $900,000 excluding the outlying
areas.
Estimated Number of Awards: 11.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Not less than one year and not more than five
years.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: An SEA of one of the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or an outlying
area (United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Note: Public Law 95-134, which permits the consolidation of
grants to the outlying areas, does not apply to funds received under
this competition.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its application. Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may
contract for supplies, equipment, and other services in accordance with
2 CFR part 200.
4. Other General Requirements:
(a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect
to the aspects of their proposed project relating to Absolute
Priorities 2 and 3, 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).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to
[[Page 45619]]
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. However,
under 34 CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review in order to
make awards by the end of FY 2020.
3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of
the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend
that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 70 pages
and (2) use the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the
abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for
completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority
requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support,
or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to
all of the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables,
figures, graphs, and screen shots.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
(a) Significance (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed
project.
(2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support
rigorous academic standards for students.
(ii) 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.
(iii) 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 lead to improvements in practice
among the recipients of those services.
(iv) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system
change or improvement.
(b) Quality of the project design (25 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
(iii) 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.
(iv) The extent to which the design of the proposed project
reflects up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
(v) The extent to which the proposed project will establish
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing
services to the target population.
(c) Quality of the project personnel (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will
carry out the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator.
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of key project personnel.
(d) Adequacy of resources and management plan (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources and
management plan for the proposed project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project.
(iii) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
(iv) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of
services, or others, as appropriate.
(v) The potential for continued support of the project after
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated
commitment of appropriate entities to such support.
(e) Quality of the project evaluation (25 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate
to the context within which the project operates.
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
(iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of
[[Page 45620]]
objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended
outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative
data to the extent possible.
(v) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other
settings.
(vi) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.
(vii) The extent to which the evaluation plan clearly articulates
the key project components, mediators, and outcomes, as well as a
measurable threshold for acceptable implementation.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past,
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel
requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional
constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department
has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions,
applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and
selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make
it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that
greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers
for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of
interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness
of the review process, while permitting panel members to review
applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also
have submitted applications.
4. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally,
also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
5. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance Results
Modernization Act of 2010, the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to
[[Page 45621]]
yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality
of the SPDG Program. These measures assess the extent to which--
Projects use professional development practices supported
by evidence to support the attainment of identified competencies;
Participants in SPDG professional development demonstrate
improvement in implementation of SPDG-supported practices over time;
Projects use SPDG professional development funds to
provide activities designed to sustain the use of SPDG-supported
practices;
Special education teachers who meet the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of IDEA, as amended by the ESSA, and
who have participated in SPDG-supported special education teacher
retention activities remain as special education teachers two years
after their initial participation in these activities; and
Projects improve outcomes for children with disabilities.
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 the Department 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.
6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary 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; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary 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 the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at
the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Mark Schultz,
Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration. Delegated the
authority to perform the functions and duties of the Assistant
Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-16549 Filed 7-27-20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P