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pdfU.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES
OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202
FISCAL YEAR 2017
APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS UNDER THE
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA, AND MATERIALS
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES PROGRAM
(CFDA 84.327)
APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS;
STEPPING-UP TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION
(CFDA 84.327S)
DATED MATERIAL: OPEN IMMEDIATELY
CLOSING DATE: JUNE 5, 2017
FORM APPROVED —OMB NO. 1820-0028, EXP. DATE: 09/30/2019
CONTENTS
Applicant Letter...................................................................................................................... A1
Notice Inviting Applicants ..................................................................................................... A5
Federal Register Notice...................................................................................................... A6
Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants ............................................ A47
Priority Description and Selection Criteria........................................................................... B1
Stepping-up Technology Implementation ........................................................................... B2
Selection Criteria and Format for the Applications for New Awards—
Stepping-up Technology Implementation (CFDA 84.327S) Competition........................... B23
General Information on Completing an Application ............................................................ C1
Application Transmittal Instructions and Requirements for
Intergovernmental Review.................................................................................................. D1
Appendix ................................................................................................................................ D6
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs................................................................. D7
State Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) ............................................................................. D8
Notice to All Applicants Ensuring Equitable Access and Application
Forms and Instructions ...................................................................................................... E1
Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) ............................................................ E6
Part II: Budget Information (Form 524) ............................................................................. E19
Part III: Application Narrative ............................................................................................ E24
Part IV: Assurances and Certifications ............................................................................. E25
Assurances—Non-Construction Programs ........................................................... E26
Certification Regarding Lobbying .......................................................................... E28
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities ........................................................................... E29
Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants ........................................... E33
DUNS Number Instructions................................................................................... E31
Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgement ....................................................... E32
Grant and Contract Funding Information ............................................................... E32
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 4106
Washington, DC 20202-2600
APPLICANT LETTER
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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 Educational Technology,
Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities (CFDA 84.327) program—Applications for
New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities—
Stepping-up Technology Implementation (CFDA No. 84.327S).
Please take the time to review the applicable requirements, definitions, selection criteria, and all
of the 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 the application does not contain the information required. (EDGAR §75.216 (b)
and (c)).
Please note the following:
•
GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION SUBMISSION.
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 that we have included on page A-43, which
includes helpful tips about submitting electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site. We
strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with Grants.gov and strongly recommend that
you register and submit early. Also, applicants are required to upload their attachments
in PDF format only. 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 is
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.
•
MAXIMUM AWARD AMOUNT.
In addition to providing detailed budget information for the total grant period requested, 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). Please be advised that for the priority in this package, the maximum
award amount covers all project costs including indirect costs.
•
STRICT PAGE LIMITS AND LINE SPACING OF APPLICATION NARRATIVE.
The competitions included in this package limit the Part III Application Narrative to a
specified number of double-spaced pages. This page limitation and double-line spacing
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requirement applies to all material presented in the application narrative. This double-line
spacing requirement also applies to all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen
shots included in the application narrative. (Please refer to the specific requirements on
page limits for the priority/competition to which you are submitting an application, Section B
of this package). The Department will reject, and will NOT consider an application that does
not adhere to the narrative’s double-line spacing and page limit requirements for the
competition.
•
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.
Reviewers will be instructed to review the content of Appendix A as they do the application
narrative, but will not be required to review any other appendices. Appendix A is to be
used only for charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots and logic models that
provide information directly relating to the application requirements for the
narrative—it should not be used for supplementary information. Please note that
charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots, and logic models can be single spaced and
placed in an Appendix A. For the application Abstract, applicants should use the
template located at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/oseptms/applicant.html#84327s.
•
FAIR COMPETITION.
To facilitate fair competition for this award:
(1) The incumbent will include information on their Web site describing the current work in
intensive States, including contacts, existing tools, and resources.
(2) OSEP will conduct a bidder’s webinar for this competition so potential applicants can
seek clarification on the current work being done by the incumbent’s center and the
application requirements.
•
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
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•
RESPONSE TO GPRA.
As required by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 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 these measures as directed by the
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). See Performance Measures included in the
Priority Description section of this application package. Applicants are encouraged to
consider this information as applications are prepared.
•
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 Governmentwide 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
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) will conduct an informational webinar to
explain the programmatic, application, and administrative requirements. There will be an
opportunity for interested applicants to ask questions about the requirements and the
application submission process. The webinar will be one hour.
We are in the process of scheduling the informational webinar and the date is still to be
determined. Please find below the link to the OSEP IDEAs That Work Website program area
page where we will post the announcement as well as other information regarding the Applicant
Webinar:
https://osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/educational-technologymedia-and-materials-individuals-disabilities
After the webinar is held, the recorded version and PowerPoint presentation for any applicant
who could not attend the scheduled webinar can be found on this web site. For additional
information regarding the webinar, please contact Terry Jackson, 202-245-6039 or
Terry.Jackson@ed.gov.
OSEP also provides information on developing performance measures and logic models at
www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel to assist you in preparing a quality application. For
information about other U.S. Department of Education grant and contract opportunities, we
encourage you to use the Department's grant information web page which can be accessed on
the INTERNET at:
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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.
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NOTICE INVITING APPLICANTS
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FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE
4000-01-U
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals with Disabilities Program—Stepping-up Technology Implementation
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY:
The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal
year (FY) 2017 for Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities--Stepping-up Technology Implementation
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327S.
DATES:
Applications Available: April 21, 2017.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 5, 2017.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 4, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5158,
Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076.
Telephone: (202) 245-6039.
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.
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SUPPLEMENTARY
Full Text of Announcement
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
Purpose of Program:
The purposes of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities Program are to:
(1) improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration,
and use of technology;
(2) support educational activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom for
students with disabilities;
(3) provide support for captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the
classroom; and
(4) provide accessible educational materials to children with disabilities in a timely manner.
Priority:
In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority and the competitive preference priorities
within this priority are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 674(c)(1)(D)
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1474(c)(1)(D)
and 1481(d))).
Absolute Priority:
For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3),
we consider only applications that meet this priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider
only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities—Stepping-up
Technology Implementation.
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Background:
The purpose of this priority is to fund cooperative agreements to: identify strategies needed to
effectively implement research-based technology tools1 that benefit students with disabilities,
and develop and disseminate products2 that will help a broad range of schools to effectively
implement these technology tools.
Congress recognized in IDEA that “almost 30 years of research and experience has
demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by ...
supporting the development and use of technology, including assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services, to maximize accessibility for children with disabilities” (section
601(c)(5)(H) of IDEA).
Technology can be the great equalizer in a classroom for students with disabilities. The use of
technology, including assistive technology devices and assistive technology services, enhances
instruction and access to the general education curriculum. Innovative technology tools,
programs, and software can be used to promote engagement and enhance the learning
experience (Brunvand & Byrd, 2011). Innovative technology tools and programs are especially
helpful as educators work to engage and motivate students who struggle with the general
education curriculum. Additionally, the development of newer technologies for, and their
presence in, early childhood education is rapidly increasing. When media-rich content is
integrated into the curriculum and supported with adult guidance, technology experiences for
young children are associated with better language, literacy, and mathematics outcomes.
Additionally, technology integration in early childhood settings has been linked to increased
social awareness and collaborative behaviors, improved abstract reasoning and problem solving
abilities, and enhanced visual-motor coordination (McManis & Gunnewig, 2012).
Technologies can support State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies
(LEAs) by: (a) improving student learning and engagement; (b) accommodating the special
1
For the purposes of this priority, “technology tools” may include, but are not limited to, digital math text
readers for students with visual impairments, reading software to improve literacy and communication
development, and text-to-speech software to improve reading performance. These tools must assist or
otherwise benefit students with disabilities.
2
For the purposes of this priority, “products” may include, but are not limited to, instruction manuals,
lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials, and professional development
modules such as collaborative groups, coaching, mentoring, or online supports.
A-9
needs of students; (c) facilitating student and teacher access to digital content and resources;
and (d) improving the quality of instruction through personalized learning and data (Duffey &
Fox, 2012; Fletcher, Schaffhauser, & Levi, 2012; U.S. Department of Education, 2010). As
stipulated in section 4109 of the Every Student Succeeds Act, technologies can be used to
support LEAs and SEAs to increase student access to personalized, rigorous learning
experiences.
Notwithstanding the potential benefits of using technology to improve learning outcomes,
research suggests that implementation can be a significant challenge. For example, data from
a survey of more than 1,000 kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) teachers, principals, and
assistant principals indicated that simply providing teachers with technology does not ensure
that it will be used (Grunwald & Associates, 2010). Additionally, Perlman and Redding (2011)
found that in order to be used most effectively, technology must be implemented in ways that
align with curricular and teacher goals and offer students opportunities to use these tools in their
learning. Even as schools have started to deliver coursework online, and the number of
students involved in online learning has grown, many of these online learning technologies have
not been designed to be accessible to students with disabilities (Center on Online Learning and
Students with Disabilities, 2012). These findings demonstrate a need for products and
resources that can assist educators to readily implement technology tools for students with
disabilities.
In response to this need, Stepping-up Technology Implementation projects have built on
technology development efforts by identifying, developing, and disseminating products and
resources that promote the effective implementation3 of instructional and assistive technology
tools in early childhood or K-12 settings.4
3
In this context, “effective implementation” means “making better use of research findings in
typical service settings through the use of processes and activities (such as accountable
implementation teams) that are purposeful and described in sufficient detail such that
independent observers can detect the presence and strength of these processes and activities”
(Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005).
4
For the purposes of this priority, “settings” include general education classrooms, special
education classrooms, high-quality early childhood programs, or any place where school-based
instruction occurs.
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Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund five cooperative agreements to: (a) identify strategies
needed to readily implement existing technology tools based on evidence that benefit students
with disabilities; and (b) develop and disseminate products (See footnote 3; e.g., instruction
manuals, lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials) that will assist
personnel in early childhood or K-12 settings to readily use, understand, and implement these
technology tools.
To be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application
requirements. Any project funded under this absolute priority must also meet the programmatic
and administrative requirements specified in the priority.
Application Requirements:
An applicant must include in its application-(a) A project design supported by strong theory (as defined in this notice);
(b) A logic model (as defined in this notice) or conceptual framework that depicts at a minimum,
the goals, activities, project evaluation, methods, performance measures, outputs, and
outcomes of the proposed project.
Note: The following websites provide more information on logic models:
www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resourcesgrantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework;
(c) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project Activities section of this priority;
(d) A plan, linked to the proposed project’s logic model, for a formative evaluation of the
proposed project’s activities. The plan must describe how the formative evaluation will use
clear performance objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in implementing the project and
ensuring the quality of products and services;
(e) Documentation that the technology tool is fully developed, is based on evidence, and
addresses, at a minimum, the following principles of universal design:
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(1) Multiple means of presentation so that students can approach information in more than one
way (e.g., specialized software and websites, screen readers that include features such as
text-to-speech, changeable color contrast, alterable text size, or selection of different
reading levels);
(2) Multiple means of expression so that all students can demonstrate knowledge through
options such as writing, online concept mapping, or speech-to-text programs, where
appropriate; and
(3) Multiple means of engagement to stimulate interest in and motivation for learning (e.g.,
options among several different learning activities or content for a particular competency or
skill and providing opportunities for increased collaboration or scaffolding);5
(f) A plan for how the project will sustain the proposed technology tool or strategy, supported by
evidence, after funding ends;
(g) A plan for recruiting and selecting6 the following:
(1) Three development schools. Development schools are the sites in which iterative
development7 of the products and resources intended to support the implementation of
technology tools will occur. The project must start implementing the technology tool with
one development school in year one of the project period and two additional development
schools in year two;
(2) Four pilot schools. Pilot schools are the sites in which try-out, formative evaluation, and
refinement of the products and resources will occur. The project must work with the four
pilot schools during years three and four of the project period; and
(3) Ten dissemination schools. Dissemination schools will be selected if the project is extended
for a fifth year. Dissemination schools will be used to (a) refine the products for use by
5
For more information on the principles of universal design, see
www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl/3principles.
6
For more information on recruiting and selecting sites, refer to Assessing Sites for Model
Demonstration: Lessons Learned from OSEP Grantees at
http://mdcc.sri.com/documents/reports/MDCC_Site_Assessment_Brief_09-30-11.pdf.
7
For the purposes of this priority, “iterative development” refers to a process of testing,
systematically securing feedback, and then revising the educational intervention that leads to
revisions in the intervention to increase the likelihood that it will be implemented with fidelity
(Diamond & Powell, 2011).
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teachers and (b) evaluate the performance of the tool. Dissemination schools will receive
less technical assistance (TA) from the project than development or pilot schools. Also, at
this stage (i.e., the fifth year), dissemination schools will extend the benefits of the
technology tool to additional students. To be selected as a dissemination school, eligible
schools and LEAs must commit to working with the project to implement the research-based
technology tool. A school may not serve in more than one category (i.e., development, pilot,
dissemination);
(h) School site information (e.g., elementary, middle, high school or early childhood setting;
persistently lowest-achieving school or high-needs school (as defined in this notice)) about
the development, pilot, and dissemination schools; student demographics (e.g., race or
ethnicity, percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch); and other pertinent
data; and
(i) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting to be held in Washington, DC, after receipt of the
award, and an annual planning meeting held in Washington, DC, with the OSEP project
officer and other relevant staff during each subsequent year of the project period.
Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award teleconference must be held
between the OSEP project officer and the grantee’s project director or other authorized
representative.
(2) A three-day project directors’ conference in Washington, DC, during each year of the project
period.
(3) Two two-day trips annually to attend Department briefings, Department-sponsored
conferences, and other meetings, as requested by OSEP.
Project Activities.
To meet the requirements of this priority, the project, at a minimum, must conduct the following
activities:
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(a) Recruit a minimum of three development schools in one LEA and four pilot schools across
at least two LEAs in accordance with the plan proposed under paragraph (g) of the
Application Requirements section of this notice.
Note: Final site selection will be determined in consultation with the OSEP project officer
following the kick-off meeting.
(b) Identify and develop resources and products that, when used to support technology tool
implementation, create accessible learning opportunities for all children, including children
with disabilities, and will support the sustained implementation of the selected technology
tool. Development of the products must be an iterative process beginning in a single
development school and continuing through repeated cycles of development and refinement
in the other development schools, followed by a formative evaluation and refinement in the
pilot schools. To support implementation of the technology tool the products and resources
must, at a minimum, include:
(1) An instrument or method for assessing-(i) Whether the technology tool has achieved its intended outcomes;
(ii) The school staff’s current technology uses and needs, current technology investments,
firewall issues, and the knowledge and availability of dedicated on-site technology
personnel; and
(iii) The readiness of development and pilot sites to implement the technology tool. Any
instruments and methods for assessing readiness may include resource inventory
checklists, school self-study guides, and survey of teachers’ interests.
(c) Provide ongoing professional development activities necessary for teachers to implement
the technology tool with fidelity and to integrate it into the curriculum.
(d) Collect and analyze data on whether the technology tool has achieved its intended
outcomes for early childhood development, academic achievement, or college- and careerreadiness.
(e) Collect formative and summative data from the development and pilot schools to refine and
evaluate the products.
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(f) If the project is extended to a fifth year, provide the products and the technology tool to no
fewer than 10 dissemination schools that are not the same schools used as development or
pilot schools.
(g) Collect summative data about the success of the products in supporting implementation of
the technology tool in the dissemination schools; and
(h) By the end of the project period, provide-(1) Information on the products and resources, as supported by the project evaluation, including
any accessibility features, that will enable other schools to implement and sustain
implementation of the technology tool;
(2) A plan for implementing the technology that includes relevant information (e.g., data on how
teachers used the technology, data on how technology impacted student outcomes, how
technology was implemented with fidelity, features of universal design);
(3) Information on how the technology tool achieved its intended outcomes related to early
childhood (e.g., data to assess how well the project addressed the goals of the project as
described in the logic model), academic achievement, or college- and career-readiness for
children with disabilities; and
(4) A plan for disseminating the technology tool and accompanying products beyond the
schools directly involved in the project.
Cohort Collaboration and Support.
OSEP project officer(s) will provide coordination support among the projects. Each project
funded under this priority must:
(a) Participate in monthly conference-call discussions to share and collaborate around
implementation and specific project issues; and
(b) Provide information annually using a template that captures descriptive data on project site
selection, processes for installation of technology, and the use of technology and
sustainability (i.e., the process of technology implementation).
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Note: The following website provides more information about implementation research:
http://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/learn-implementation.
Fifth Year of the Project:
The Secretary may extend a project one year beyond 48 months to work with dissemination
schools if the grantee is achieving the intended outcomes (e.g., provides data that demonstrate
the project addressed the goals of the project as described in the logic model) and making a
positive contribution to the implementation of a research-based technology tool in the
development and pilot schools. Each applicant must include in its application a plan for the full
60-month award. In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fifth year, the
Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and will consider:
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of the OSEP project officer and other
experts selected by the Secretary. This review will be held during the last half of the third
year of the project period;
(b) The success and timeliness with which the requirements of the negotiated cooperative
agreement have been or are being met by the project; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which the project’s activities have contributed to changed
practices and improved early childhood outcomes, academic achievement, or college- and
career-readiness for students with disabilities.
Competitive Preference Priorities
Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to applications that address the
following priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional two points to an
application that meets one of the competitive preference priorities. Applicants may address only
one competitive preference priority. Applications will only be awarded two or zero points and
must identify which competitive preference priority they are addressing.
Note: Under each competitive preference priority, no more than one application will be funded
based solely on competitive preference points (i.e., exceeded the funding cut-off score as a
result of receiving the two points).
The priorities are:
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Competitive Preference Priority 1—Students with the Most Significant Cognitive
Disabilities (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, projects must be designed to support teachers in
providing access through technology to the general education curriculum aligned with State
grade-level content standards or alternate academic achievement standards in mathematics
and English language arts (K-12) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Teachers of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities will be able to use the
technology to differentiate grade-level instruction effectively and will be able to better track
student progress toward grade-level proficiency. Applicants responding to the competitive
preference priority must-(a) Identify technology tools based on evidence needed to implement an English language arts
or mathematics curriculum aligned with State grade-level content standards or alternate
academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities;
(b) Identify a curriculum and performance tracking tool for use by teachers for the purpose of
assessing the outcomes of the technology’s intended use on individualized instruction
aligned to K-12 grade--level content standards, or alternate academic achievement
standards, in English language arts and mathematics appropriate to students with the most
significant cognitive disabilities; and
(c) Develop and disseminate accessible products and resources (e.g., instruction manuals,
lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials) that will assist teachers
in K-12 settings to implement the technology.
Competitive Preference Priority 2-Projects Supported by Evidence of Promise (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, applicants must include in the literature review
required under the absolute priority (paragraph (a) under the heading Application Requirements)
research that meets at least the evidence of promise standard and that supports the promise
(i.e., evidence base) of the proposed model under the absolute priority and its components and
processes.
Note: An applicant addressing this competitive preference priority must identify no more than
two study citations that meet this standard.
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Competitive Preference Priority 3- Technology to Support Instructors and Students in
Juvenile Correctional Facilities (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, projects must provide technology to support
instructors and students in juvenile correctional facilities that-(a) Allows instructors to immediately assess a student’s current grade-level ability when the
student moves into a juvenile correctional facility without having the appropriate educational
information (e.g., individualized education program, section 504 plans, behavior intervention
plans). Technology can also allow instructors to develop education plans in addition to
individualized education programs required for students with disabilities under IDEA and
plans that describe services required for students with disabilities under section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
(b) Equips instructors with tools and resources to enhance the classroom experience, such as
flipped classrooms, blended learning, and other models and methods that would allow
students to make educational gains in and outside of the classroom; and
(c) Expands the reach of correctional education services to provide more incarcerated
individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to graduate.
References:
Brunvand, S., & Byrd, S. (2011). Using VoiceThread to promote learning engagement and
success for all students. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(4), 28-37.
Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities (COLSD). (2012). The foundation of
online learning for students with disabilities (COLSD White Paper). Lawrence, KS:
Author. Retrieved from http://centerononlinelearning.org/wpcontent/uploads/Foundation_7_2012.pdf.
Diamond, K. E., & Powell, D. R. (2011). An iterative approach to the development of a
professional development intervention for Head Start teachers. Journal of Early
Intervention, 33(1), 75-93.
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Duffey, D., & Fox, C. (2012). National Educational Technology Trends 2012: State Leadership
Empowers Educators, Transforms Teaching and Learning. Washington, DC: State
Educational Technology Directors Association. Retrieved from
https://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED536746.pdf.
Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M., & Wallace, F. (2005).
Implementation research: A synthesis of the literature. Tampa, FL: University of South
Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation
Research Network.
Fletcher, G., Schaffhauser, D. & Levi, D. (2012). Out of print: Reimagining the K-12 textbook
in a digital age. Washington, DC: State Educational Technology Directors Association.
Retrieved from www.setda.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=321&name=DLFE1587.pdf.
Grunwald & Associates. (2010). Educators, technology, and 21st century skills: Dispelling five
myths. Retrieved from Walden University, Richard W. Riley College of Education
website: www.WaldenU.edu/fivemyths.
McManis, L. D., & Gunnewig, S. B. (2012). Finding the education in educational technology
with early learners. Young Children, 67(3), 14-24.
Perlman, C. L., & Redding, S. (Eds.). (2011). Choosing and implementing technology wisely.
Handbook on Effective Implementation of School Improvement Grants. Lincoln, IL:
Academic Development Institute. Retrieved from www.centerii.org/handbook.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming
American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. Washington, DC: Author.
Retrieved from www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf.
Definitions:
These definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1 and the Department’s notice of final supplemental
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs (Supplemental Priorities), published in
the Federal Register on December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425), as marked.
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The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1:
Evidence of promise means there is empirical evidence to support the theoretical linkage(s)
between at least one critical component and at least one relevant outcome presented in the
logic model for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice. Specifically, evidence
of promise means the conditions in both paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this definition are met:
(i) There is at least one study that is a-(A) Correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias;
(B) Quasi-experimental design study that meets the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence
Standards with reservations; or
(C) Randomized controlled trial that meets the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards
with or without reservations.
(ii) The study referenced in paragraph (i) of this definition found a statistically significant or
substantively important (defined as a difference of 0.25 standard deviations or larger)
favorable association between at least one critical component and one relevant outcome
presented in the logic model for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice.
Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a well-specified conceptual framework
that identifies key components of the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e.,
the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant
outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key components and outcomes,
theoretically and operationally.
Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that attempts to approximate an
experimental design by identifying a comparison group that is similar to the treatment group
in important respects. These studies, depending on design and implementation, can meet
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations (but not What Works
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations).
Randomized controlled trial means a study that employs random assignment of, for example,
students, teachers, classrooms, schools, or districts to receive the intervention being
evaluated (the treatment group) or not to receive the intervention (the control group). The
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estimated effectiveness of the intervention is the difference between the average outcomes
for the treatment group and for the control group. These studies, depending on design and
implementation, can meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without
reservations.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate outcome if not related to
students) the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice is designed to improve;
consistent with the specific goals of a program.
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice that
includes a logic model.
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards means the standards set forth in the What
Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 3.0, March 2014),
which can be found at the following link:
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/DocumentSum.aspx?sid=19.
The following definitions are from the Supplemental Priorities:
Persistently lowest-achieving school means, as determined by the State-(a)(1) Any Title I school that has been identified for improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring under section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA) and that-(i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring or the lowest-achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater; or
(ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate, as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b), that is less
than 60 percent over a number of years; and
(2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, Title I funds that-(i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five
secondary schools in the State that are eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds,
whichever number of schools is greater; or
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(ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate, as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b), that is less
than 60 percent over a number of years.
(b) To identify the lowest-achieving schools, a State must take into account both-(i) The academic achievement of the “all students” group in a school in terms of proficiency on
the State’s assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA, in reading/language arts and
mathematics combined; and
(ii) The school’s lack of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the “all
students” group.
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. 1474 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 as regulations of the Department
in 2 CFR part 3474.
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(d) The Supplemental Priorities.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized
Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education (IHEs) only.
.
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II. AWARD INFORMATION
Type of Award:
Cooperative agreements.
Estimated Available Funds:
The Administration has requested $30,047,000 for the Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with Disabilities program for FY 2017, of which we intend to use an
estimated $2,500,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional
awards in FY 2018 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$450,000 to $500,000 per year
Estimated Average Size of Award:
$471,352 per year
Maximum Award:
We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget
period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards:
5.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
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Project Period:
Up to 48 months.
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III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
1. Eligible Applicants:
State educational agencies (SEAs); LEAs, including public charter schools that are considered
LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying
areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching:
This competition does not require cost sharing or matching.
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: SEAs; LEAs,
including public charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other
public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States;
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit 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. Address to Request Application Package:
Education Publications Center (ED Pubs)
U.S. Department of Education
P.O. Box 22207
Alexandria, VA 22304
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827.
FAX: (703) 605-6794.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY),
call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at its e-mail address:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as
follows: CFDA number 84.327S.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed
under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission:
Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must
submit, are in the application package for this competition.
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. You must limit Part III to no
more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
•
A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
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•
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application
narrative section, 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. An
application submitted in any other font (including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be
accepted.
The page limit and double-spacing requirements do 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 page limit and doublespacing requirements do apply to all of Part III, the application narrative, including all text in
charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit in the application narrative section; or
if you apply standards other than those specified in this notice and the application package.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 21, 2017
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 5, 2017.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically using the
Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For information (including dates and times) about how to
submit your application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery if you qualify
for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer to Other Submission
Requirements in section IV of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the
application process should contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact. If
the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in
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connection with the application process, the individual’s application remains subject to all other
requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 4, 2017.
4. 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.
5. Funding Restrictions:
We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of
this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, and
System for Award Management:
To do business with the Department of Education, you must—
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification
Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award Management (SAM)
(formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the Government’s primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information while your application is under
review by the Department and, if you are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet at the following Web site:
http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be created within one-to-two business
days.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or organization, you can obtain a TIN from the
Internal Revenue Service. If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
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Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a new TIN, please allow two
to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business days, but may take
upwards of several weeks, depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data you enter
into the SAM database. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial
assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow sufficient time to
obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register
early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may take be 24 to 48 hours before you can
access the information in, and submit an application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make any changes. However,
please make certain that the TIN associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that
you will need to update your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with obtaining and
registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we
have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet, which you can find at:
http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, you must:
(1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR);
and
(2) register yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the
following Grants.gov Web page: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
7. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically unless you
qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Stepping-up Technology Implementation competition, CFDA
number 84.327S, must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply
site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application
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package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not email an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described elsewhere in
this section, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and
submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the
Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. Further information regarding
calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Stepping-up Technology Implementation
competition at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for
this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your
search (e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327S).
Please note the following:
•
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application
electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation.
•
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time stamped. Your application must be
fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system
no later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the application deadline date. Except
as otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if it is received—that
is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system—after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C.
time, on the application deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not
comply with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov,
we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date and time stamped
by the Grants.gov system after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the application
deadline date.
•
The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of
factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to
begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
•
You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an
application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this
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competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov
under News and Events on the Department’s G5 system home page at www.G5.gov. In
addition, for specific guidance and procedures for submitting an application through
Grants.gov, please refer to the Grants.gov Web site at:
www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
•
You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic
format, nor will we penalize you if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your application in paper
format.
•
You must submit all documents electronically, including all information you typically provide
on the following forms: the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction
Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications.
•
You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files
in a read-only, non-modifiable Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an
interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, nonmodifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a password-protected file,
we will not review that material. Please note that this could result in your application not
being considered for funding because the material in question—for example, the project
narrative—is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason it is important
to allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF files. The Department will not
convert material from other formats to PDF. Additional, detailed information on how to
attach files is in the application instructions.
•
Your electronic application must comply with any page-limit requirements described in this
notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov an automatic
notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department. Grants.gov will also notify you
automatically by email if your application met all of the Grants.gov validation requirements or
there were any errors (such as submission of your application by someone other than a
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registered Authorized Organization Representative or inclusion of an attachment with a file
name that contains special characters). You will be given an opportunity to correct any errors
and resubmit, but you must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the Department will retrieve your
application from Grants.gov and send you a unique PR/Award number for your application.
These emails do not mean that your application is without any disqualifying errors. While your
application may have been successfully validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the
Department’s application requirements as specified in this notice and in the application
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure to upload attachments in a
read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to submit a required part of the application; or failure to
meet applicant eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submitted
application has met all of the Department’s requirements.
•
We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues with the Grants.gov
System:
If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact
the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov
Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline
date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, the following business day to enable you to transmit
your application electronically or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by
following the mailing instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the application
deadline date, please contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact and
provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your
ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the application
deadline date. We will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will
be accepted.
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Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply only to the unavailability of, or
technical problems with, the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if
you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the application
deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the
Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement:
You qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application through the Grants.gov
system because––
•
You do not have access to the Internet; or
•
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Grants.gov system;
and
•
No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the
fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the
next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to the
Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevents you from using
the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two
weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the
Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to:
Terry Jackson
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5158, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP)
Washington, DC 20202-5076
FAX: (202) 245-7590.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery
instructions described in this notice.
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b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through
the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must
mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327S)
LBJ Basement Level 1
400 Maryland Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20202-4260
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the
following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your
application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on
this method, you should check with your local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier
service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the
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original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327S)
550 12th Street, SW.
Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza
Washington, DC 20202-4260
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications:
If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department—
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11 of
the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which
you are submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant
application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
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V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
1. Selection Criteria:
The score for all of the selection criteria is 100 points. The application narrative should include
the following sections in this order:
(a) Significance (10 points).
The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project.
(1) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The significance of the problem or issue to be addressed, and the magnitude of the need for
the services to be provided or carried out by the proposed project;
(ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities
have been identified and how the specific gaps or weaknesses will be addressed by the
proposed project;
(iii) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase knowledge or understanding
of educational problems, issues, or effective strategies and the development and
advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the field of study; and
(iv) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving or otherwise addressing the
needs of children with disabilities.
(b) Quality of project services (20 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the products and/or services to be provided by the
proposed project.
(1) In determining the quality of the products and/or services to be provided by the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal
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access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age or
disability.
(2) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the products and/or services to be provided by the proposed project
reflect current knowledge from research and effective practice;
(ii) The extent to which the products and/or services are of sufficient quality, intensity, and
duration to lead to outcomes as intended by the proposed project;
(iii) The extent to which the products and/or services to be provided by the proposed, project,
involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project
services;
(iv) The likely utility of the products and/or services that will result from the proposed project,
including the potential for their being used effectively in a variety of other settings; and
(v) The extent to which the products and resources developed by the proposed project include
accessible accessibility features, supporting the sustained implementation of the technology
tool or strategy.
(c) Quality of the project design (20 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.
(1) 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 proposed logic model or conceptual framework depicts at a
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project.
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(iii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes a thorough, high-quality
review of the relevant literature, reflects current knowledge from research and effective
practice; supported by strong theory; a high-quality plan for project implementation, and the
use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project
objectives.
(iv) The extent to which the proposed technology tool or strategy is fully-developed, evidencebased (as defined in this notice) and that can be implemented to improve early childhood
outcomes, academic achievement, or college and career readiness; and
(v) The extent to which the proposed technology tool or strategy addresses the following
principles of universal design: a) multiple means of representation so students can approach
information in more than one way; b) multiple means of expression so that all students can
demonstrate and express what they know; and c) multiple means of engagement to
stimulate interest in and motivation for learning.
(d) Quality of the management plan (25 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
(1) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to implement the activities described in the Project
Activities section and to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within
budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for
accomplishing project tasks;
(ii) The extent to which the time commitments and qualifications of the project director and
principal investigator, including relevant training and experience of key project personnel,
project consultants or subcontractors are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives
of the proposed project.
(iii) The adequacy of the plan for recruiting and selecting:
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(a) The three development schools (the sites in which iterative development of the
implementation of technology tools and products will occur. The project must start
implementing the technology tool with at least one development school in year one of the
project period and two additional development schools in year two;
(b) Four pilot schools (the sites in which try-out, formative evaluation, and refinement of
technology tools and products will occur. The project must work with the four pilot schools
during years three and four of the project period; and
(c) Ten dissemination schools. The dissemination schools will be selected if the project is
extended for a fifth year. Dissemination schools will be used to conduct the final test of the
effectiveness of the products and the final opportunity for the project to refine the products
for use by teachers, but will receive less technical assistance (TA) from the project than the
development and pilot schools;
(iv) The adequacy of the information (e.g., early childhood setting; elementary, middle, or high
school; persistently lowest-achieving school; priority school) about the development, pilot,
and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch); and other pertinent data;
(v) The adequacy of the plan to which the results and accompanying products of the proposed
project will be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information or
strategies; and
(vi) The adequacy of the plan to sustain the technology after funding ends.
(e) Adequacy of resources (10 points).
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.
(1) 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.
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(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from
the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization;
(ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to the
implementation and success of the project; and
(iii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project; and the costs
are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the
proposed project.
(f) Quality of the project evaluation (15 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project.
(1) 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
context within which the project operates, and include the use of objective performance
measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce
quantitative and qualitative data;
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for the examination of the
effectiveness of project implementation strategies;
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation is linked to the proposed project’s logic
model is appropriate for the formative evaluation, describing how performance objectives in
plan will ensure continuous performance feedback and improvement and assessment of
progress toward achieving intended outcomes in the operation of the proposed project’s
activities.
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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 also 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 of Education
(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. However, if the Department
decides to select an equal number of applications in each group for funding, this may result in
different cut-off points for fundable applications in each group.
4. Risk Assessment and Special 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 special 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;
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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.
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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. 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 multi-year 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.
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4. Performance Measures:
Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, the Department has established
a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield
information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Educational Technology,
Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program. These measures are included in
the application package and focus on the extent to which projects are of high quality, are
relevant to improving outcomes of children with disabilities, contribute to improving outcomes for
children with disabilities, and generate evidence of validity and availability to appropriate
populations. Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data on these
measures as directed by OSEP.
Grantees will be required to report information on their project’s performance in annual
performance reports and additional performance data to the Department (34 CFR 75.590 and
75.591).
5. 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 grantees approved application.
In making a continuation grant, 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).
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VIII. 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) by contacting the:
Management Support Services Team
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5113, PCP
Washington, DC 20202-2550
Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. 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 Adobe 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.
Dated:
Deputy Director, Office of Special
Education Programs, delegated the duties of the Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
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***Updated 12/2016***
IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST
U.S. Department of Education
GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND TIPS FOR
APPLICANTS
To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important submission procedures you need to
be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the Department of
Education.
Browser Support
The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari
are supported for use with Grants.gov. However, these web browsers undergo frequent changes and
updates, so we recommend you have the latest version when using Grants.gov. Legacy versions of these
web browsers may be functional, but you may experience issues.
For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant
FAQs: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser
ATTENTION – Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required
Applications submitted to Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms.
Therefore, applicants will need to download the latest version of Adobe reader. Information on computer
and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version is available on
Grants.gov at this link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.
We strongly recommend that you review these details on www.Grants.gov before completing and
submitting your application. In addition, applicants should submit their application a day or two in
advance of the closing date as detailed below. Also, applicants are required to upload their attachments
in .pdf format only. (See details below under “Attaching Files – Additional Tips.”) If you have any
questions regarding this matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or
call 1-800-518-4726.
NEW: In addition to the Adobe form application package, Grants.gov now offers a new option called
Workspace for application completion and submission. Workspace allows a team of registered
Grants.gov applicants to use a shared online space for completing individual forms and submitting the
final application. These forms can be filled out simultaneously by different users, instead of exchanging a
single PDF package file via email or a flash drive as is used when completing the traditional Adobe
application package. Please go to this Grants.gov link for more information and training, etc. on using
Workspace: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html
1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps, including registration on SAM
(www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of
several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into
the SAM database by an applicant. 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, and before you can submit an application through
Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html [Note: Your organization will need to update its SAM
registration annually.]
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Primary information about SAM is available at www.sam.gov . However, to further assist you with
obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account
the Department of Education has prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet which you can find at:
http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html
2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit
your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then
process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary
depending on a number of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your
Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well.
If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit
successfully to Grants.gov before 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time on the deadline date.
Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application
that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR)
on Grants.gov. This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your
organization registered with the SAM . If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your
application as the DUNS you registered with, Grants.gov will reject your application.
3) VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application
submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application
was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful
submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time, on
the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or
Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application
from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your
application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.
If the date/time received is later than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the deadline date,
your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation
by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or
“Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been
received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found
on the Grants.gov site: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-errormessages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review
the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobesoftware-compatibility.html If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please
see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via email about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether
your application has been received timely and validated successfully.
Submission Problems – What should you do?
If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov
Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: mailto:support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov
Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants
If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m., unless
you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the
electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. If electronic
submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date
and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in
the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date.
(See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)
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Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov
Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving
data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your
computer. You will need to logon to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application. You must provide
the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov.
Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips
related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this
Grants.gov link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html
Dial-Up Internet Connections
When using a dial up connection to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer
than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g. cable modem/DSL/T1.
While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours
to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. If you do not have access to a highspeed connection and electronic submission is required, you may want to consider following the
instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission
requirement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal
Register notice for detailed instructions.)
Attaching Files – Additional Tips
Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application, especially the requirement that
applicants only include read-only, non-modifiable .PDF files in their application:
Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they
must be in a read-only, non-modifiable format. PDF files are the only Education approved
file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice. Applicants must
submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the
Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF
Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not
.PDF files or are password protected files will not be read.
Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same
name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package
should have a unique file name.
When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on
the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters,
and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, Grants.gov does
allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9,
underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand,
tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign,
percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the
Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.
Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics
and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties
opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments
is less than 5 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.
12/2016
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
PRIORITY DESCRIPTION AND
SELECTION CRITERIA
B-1
STEPPING-UP TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION
(CFDA 84.327S)
DEADLINE:
06/5/2017
ABSOLUTE PRIORITY:
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this priority is to fund cooperative agreements to: identify strategies needed to
effectively implement research-based technology tools1 that benefit students with disabilities,
and develop and disseminate products2 that will help a broad range of schools to effectively
implement these technology tools.
Congress recognized in IDEA that “almost 30 years of research and experience has
demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by ...
supporting the development and use of technology, including assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services, to maximize accessibility for children with disabilities” (section
601(c)(5)(H) of IDEA).
Technology can be the great equalizer in a classroom for students with disabilities. The use of
technology, including assistive technology devices and assistive technology services, enhances
instruction and access to the general education curriculum. Innovative technology tools,
programs, and software can be used to promote engagement and enhance the learning
experience (Brunvand & Byrd, 2011). Innovative technology tools and programs are especially
helpful as educators work to engage and motivate students who struggle with the general
education curriculum. Additionally, the development of newer technologies for, and their
presence in, early childhood education is rapidly increasing. When media-rich content is
integrated into the curriculum and supported with adult guidance, technology experiences for
1
For the purposes of this priority, “technology tools” may include, but are not limited to, digital math text
readers for students with visual impairments, reading software to improve literacy and communication
development, and text-to-speech software to improve reading performance. These tools must assist or
otherwise benefit students with disabilities.
2
For the purposes of this priority, “products” may include, but are not limited to, instruction manuals,
lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials, and professional development
modules such as collaborative groups, coaching, mentoring, or online supports.
B2
young children are associated with better language, literacy, and mathematics outcomes.
Additionally, technology integration in early childhood settings has been linked to increased
social awareness and collaborative behaviors, improved abstract reasoning and problem solving
abilities, and enhanced visual-motor coordination (McManis & Gunnewig, 2012).
Technologies can support State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies
(LEAs) by: (a) improving student learning and engagement; (b) accommodating the special
needs of students; (c) facilitating student and teacher access to digital content and resources;
and (d) improving the quality of instruction through personalized learning and data (Duffey &
Fox, 2012; Fletcher, Schaffhauser, & Levi, 2012; U.S. Department of Education, 2010). As
stipulated in section 4109 of the Every Student Succeeds Act, technologies can be used to
support LEAs and SEAs to increase student access to personalized, rigorous learning
experiences.
Notwithstanding the potential benefits of using technology to improve learning outcomes,
research suggests that implementation can be a significant challenge. For example, data from
a survey of more than 1,000 kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) teachers, principals, and
assistant principals indicated that simply providing teachers with technology does not ensure
that it will be used (Grunwald & Associates, 2010). Additionally, Perlman and Redding (2011)
found that in order to be used most effectively, technology must be implemented in ways that
align with curricular and teacher goals and offer students opportunities to use these tools in their
learning. Even as schools have started to deliver coursework online, and the number of
students involved in online learning has grown, many of these online learning technologies have
not been designed to be accessible to students with disabilities (Center on Online Learning and
Students with Disabilities, 2012). These findings demonstrate a need for products and
resources that can assist educators to readily implement technology tools for students with
disabilities.
In response to this need, Stepping-up Technology Implementation projects have built on
technology development efforts by identifying, developing, and disseminating products and
resources that promote the effective implementation3 of instructional and assistive technology
tools in early childhood or K-12 settings.4
3
In this context, “effective implementation” means “making better use of research findings in
typical service settings through the use of processes and activities (such as accountable
B3
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund five cooperative agreements to: (a) identify strategies
needed to readily implement existing technology tools based on evidence that benefit students
with disabilities; and (b) develop and disseminate products (See footnote 3; e.g., instruction
manuals, lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials) that will assist
personnel in early childhood or K-12 settings to readily use, understand, and implement these
technology tools.
To be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application
requirements. Any project funded under this absolute priority must also meet the programmatic
and administrative requirements specified in the priority.
Application Requirements:
An applicant must include in its application-(a) A project design supported by strong theory (as defined in this notice);
(b) A logic model (as defined in this notice) or conceptual framework that depicts at a minimum,
the goals, activities, project evaluation, methods, performance measures, outputs, and
outcomes of the proposed project.
Note: The following websites provide more information on logic models:
www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resourcesgrantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework;
(c) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project Activities section of this priority;
(d) A plan, linked to the proposed project’s logic model, for a formative evaluation of the
proposed project’s activities. The plan must describe how the formative evaluation will use
clear performance objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the
implementation teams) that are purposeful and described in sufficient detail such that
independent observers can detect the presence and strength of these processes and activities”
(Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005).
4
For the purposes of this priority, “settings” include general education classrooms, special
education classrooms, high-quality early childhood programs, or any place where school-based
instruction occurs.
B4
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in implementing the project and
ensuring the quality of products and services;
(e) Documentation that the technology tool is fully developed, is based on evidence, and
addresses, at a minimum, the following principles of universal design:
(1) Multiple means of presentation so that students can approach information in more than one
way (e.g., specialized software and websites, screen readers that include features such as
text-to-speech, changeable color contrast, alterable text size, or selection of different
reading levels);
(2) Multiple means of expression so that all students can demonstrate knowledge through
options such as writing, online concept mapping, or speech-to-text programs, where
appropriate; and
(3) Multiple means of engagement to stimulate interest in and motivation for learning (e.g.,
options among several different learning activities or content for a particular competency or
skill and providing opportunities for increased collaboration or scaffolding);5
(f) A plan for how the project will sustain the proposed technology tool or strategy, supported by
evidence, after funding ends;
(g) A plan for recruiting and selecting6 the following:
(1) Three development schools. Development schools are the sites in which iterative
development7 of the products and resources intended to support the implementation of
technology tools will occur. The project must start implementing the technology tool with
one development school in year one of the project period and two additional development
schools in year two;
5
For more information on the principles of universal design, see
www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl/3principles.
6
For more information on recruiting and selecting sites, refer to Assessing Sites for Model
Demonstration: Lessons Learned from OSEP Grantees at
http://mdcc.sri.com/documents/reports/MDCC_Site_Assessment_Brief_09-30-11.pdf.
7
For the purposes of this priority, “iterative development” refers to a process of testing,
systematically securing feedback, and then revising the educational intervention that leads to
revisions in the intervention to increase the likelihood that it will be implemented with fidelity
(Diamond & Powell, 2011).
B5
(2) Four pilot schools. Pilot schools are the sites in which try-out, formative evaluation, and
refinement of the products and resources will occur. The project must work with the four
pilot schools during years three and four of the project period; and
(3) Ten dissemination schools. Dissemination schools will be selected if the project is extended
for a fifth year. Dissemination schools will be used to (a) refine the products for use by
teachers and (b) evaluate the performance of the tool. Dissemination schools will receive
less technical assistance (TA) from the project than development or pilot schools. Also, at
this stage (i.e., the fifth year), dissemination schools will extend the benefits of the
technology tool to additional students. To be selected as a dissemination school, eligible
schools and LEAs must commit to working with the project to implement the research-based
technology tool. A school may not serve in more than one category (i.e., development, pilot,
dissemination);
(h) School site information (e.g., elementary, middle, high school or early childhood setting;
persistently lowest-achieving school or high-needs school (as defined in this notice)) about
the development, pilot, and dissemination schools; student demographics (e.g., race or
ethnicity, percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch); and other pertinent
data; and
(i) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting to be held in Washington, DC, after receipt of the
award, and an annual planning meeting held in Washington, DC, with the OSEP project
officer and other relevant staff during each subsequent year of the project period.
Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award teleconference must be held
between the OSEP project officer and the grantee’s project director or other authorized
representative.
(2) A three-day project directors’ conference in Washington, DC, during each year of the project
period.
(3) Two two-day trips annually to attend Department briefings, Department-sponsored
conferences, and other meetings, as requested by OSEP.
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Project Activities.
To meet the requirements of this priority, the project, at a minimum, must conduct the following
activities:
(a) Recruit a minimum of three development schools in one LEA and four pilot schools across
at least two LEAs in accordance with the plan proposed under paragraph (g) of the
Application Requirements section of this notice.
Note: Final site selection will be determined in consultation with the OSEP project officer
following the kick-off meeting.
(b) Identify and develop resources and products that, when used to support technology tool
implementation, create accessible learning opportunities for all children, including children
with disabilities, and will support the sustained implementation of the selected technology
tool. Development of the products must be an iterative process beginning in a single
development school and continuing through repeated cycles of development and refinement
in the other development schools, followed by a formative evaluation and refinement in the
pilot schools. To support implementation of the technology tool the products and resources
must, at a minimum, include:
(1) An instrument or method for assessing-(i) Whether the technology tool has achieved its intended outcomes;
(ii) The school staff’s current technology uses and needs, current technology investments,
firewall issues, and the knowledge and availability of dedicated on-site technology
personnel; and
(iii) The readiness of development and pilot sites to implement the technology tool. Any
instruments and methods for assessing readiness may include resource inventory
checklists, school self-study guides, and survey of teachers’ interests.
(c) Provide ongoing professional development activities necessary for teachers to implement
the technology tool with fidelity and to integrate it into the curriculum.
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(d) Collect and analyze data on whether the technology tool has achieved its intended
outcomes for early childhood development, academic achievement, or college- and careerreadiness.
(e) Collect formative and summative data from the development and pilot schools to refine and
evaluate the products.
(f) If the project is extended to a fifth year, provide the products and the technology tool to no
fewer than 10 dissemination schools that are not the same schools used as development or
pilot schools.
(g) Collect summative data about the success of the products in supporting implementation of
the technology tool in the dissemination schools; and
(h) By the end of the project period, provide-(1) Information on the products and resources, as supported by the project evaluation, including
any accessibility features, that will enable other schools to implement and sustain
implementation of the technology tool;
(2) A plan for implementing the technology that includes relevant information (e.g., data on how
teachers used the technology, data on how technology impacted student outcomes, how
technology was implemented with fidelity, features of universal design);
(3) Information on how the technology tool achieved its intended outcomes related to early
childhood (e.g., data to assess how well the project addressed the goals of the project as
described in the logic model), academic achievement, or college- and career-readiness for
children with disabilities; and
(4) A plan for disseminating the technology tool and accompanying products beyond the
schools directly involved in the project.
Cohort Collaboration and Support.
OSEP project officer(s) will provide coordination support among the projects. Each project
funded under this priority must:
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(a) Participate in monthly conference-call discussions to share and collaborate around
implementation and specific project issues; and
(b) Provide information annually using a template that captures descriptive data on project site
selection, processes for installation of technology, and the use of technology and
sustainability (i.e., the process of technology implementation).
Note: The following website provides more information about implementation research:
http://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/learn-implementation.
Fifth Year of the Project:
The Secretary may extend a project one year beyond 48 months to work with dissemination
schools if the grantee is achieving the intended outcomes (e.g., provides data that demonstrate
the project addressed the goals of the project as described in the logic model) and making a
positive contribution to the implementation of a research-based technology tool in the
development and pilot schools. Each applicant must include in its application a plan for the full
60-month award. In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fifth year, the
Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and will consider:
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of the OSEP project officer and other
experts selected by the Secretary. This review will be held during the last half of the third
year of the project period;
(b) The success and timeliness with which the requirements of the negotiated cooperative
agreement have been or are being met by the project; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which the project’s activities have contributed to changed
practices and improved early childhood outcomes, academic achievement, or college- and
career-readiness for students with disabilities.
Competitive Preference Priorities
Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to applications that address the
following priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional two points to an
application that meets one of the competitive preference priorities. Applicants may address only
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one competitive preference priority. Applications will only be awarded two or zero points and
must identify which competitive preference priority they are addressing.
Note: Under each competitive preference priority, no more than one application will be funded
based solely on competitive preference points (i.e., exceeded the funding cut-off score as a
result of receiving the two points).
The priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1—Students with the Most Significant Cognitive
Disabilities (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, projects must be designed to support teachers in
providing access through technology to the general education curriculum aligned with State
grade-level content standards or alternate academic achievement standards in mathematics
and English language arts (K-12) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Teachers of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities will be able to use the
technology to differentiate grade-level instruction effectively and will be able to better track
student progress toward grade-level proficiency. Applicants responding to the competitive
preference priority must-(a) Identify technology tools based on evidence needed to implement an English language arts
or mathematics curriculum aligned with State grade-level content standards or alternate
academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities;
(b) Identify a curriculum and performance tracking tool for use by teachers for the purpose of
assessing the outcomes of the technology’s intended use on individualized instruction
aligned to K-12 grade--level content standards, or alternate academic achievement
standards, in English language arts and mathematics appropriate to students with the most
significant cognitive disabilities; and
(c) Develop and disseminate accessible products and resources (e.g., instruction manuals,
lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials) that will assist teachers
in K-12 settings to implement the technology.
Competitive Preference Priority 2-Projects Supported by Evidence of Promise (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, applicants must include in the literature review
required under the absolute priority (paragraph (a) under the heading Application Requirements)
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research that meets at least the evidence of promise standard and that supports the promise
(i.e., evidence base) of the proposed model under the absolute priority and its components and
processes.
Note: An applicant addressing this competitive preference priority must identify no more than
two study citations that meet this standard.
Competitive Preference Priority 3- Technology to Support Instructors and Students in
Juvenile Correctional Facilities (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, projects must provide technology to support
instructors and students in juvenile correctional facilities that-(a) Allows instructors to immediately assess a student’s current grade-level ability when the
student moves into a juvenile correctional facility without having the appropriate educational
information (e.g., individualized education program, section 504 plans, behavior intervention
plans). Technology can also allow instructors to develop education plans in addition to
individualized education programs required for students with disabilities under IDEA and
plans that describe services required for students with disabilities under section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
(b) Equips instructors with tools and resources to enhance the classroom experience, such as
flipped classrooms, blended learning, and other models and methods that would allow
students to make educational gains in and outside of the classroom; and
(c) Expands the reach of correctional education services to provide more incarcerated
individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to graduate.
References:
Brunvand, S., & Byrd, S. (2011). Using VoiceThread to promote learning engagement and
success for all students. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(4), 28-37.
Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities (COLSD). (2012). The foundation of
online learning for students with disabilities (COLSD White Paper). Lawrence, KS:
Author. Retrieved from http://centerononlinelearning.org/wpcontent/uploads/Foundation_7_2012.pdf.
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Diamond, K. E., & Powell, D. R. (2011). An iterative approach to the development of a
professional development intervention for Head Start teachers. Journal of Early
Intervention, 33(1), 75-93.
Duffey, D., & Fox, C. (2012). National Educational Technology Trends 2012: State Leadership
Empowers Educators, Transforms Teaching and Learning. Washington, DC: State
Educational Technology Directors Association. Retrieved from
https://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED536746.pdf.
Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M., & Wallace, F. (2005).
Implementation research: A synthesis of the literature. Tampa, FL: University of South
Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation
Research Network.
Fletcher, G., Schaffhauser, D. & Levi, D. (2012). Out of print: Reimagining the K-12 textbook
in a digital age. Washington, DC: State Educational Technology Directors Association.
Retrieved from www.setda.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=321&name=DLFE1587.pdf.
Grunwald & Associates. (2010). Educators, technology, and 21st century skills: Dispelling five
myths. Retrieved from Walden University, Richard W. Riley College of Education
website: www.WaldenU.edu/fivemyths.
McManis, L. D., & Gunnewig, S. B. (2012). Finding the education in educational technology
with early learners. Young Children, 67(3), 14-24.
Perlman, C. L., & Redding, S. (Eds.). (2011). Choosing and implementing technology wisely.
Handbook on Effective Implementation of School Improvement Grants. Lincoln, IL:
Academic Development Institute. Retrieved from www.centerii.org/handbook.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming
American Education: Learning Powered by Technology. Washington, DC: Author.
Retrieved from www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf.
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Definitions:
These definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1 and the Department’s notice of final supplemental
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs (Supplemental Priorities), published in
the Federal Register on December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425), as marked.
The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1:
Evidence of promise means there is empirical evidence to support the theoretical linkage(s)
between at least one critical component and at least one relevant outcome presented in the
logic model for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice. Specifically, evidence
of promise means the conditions in both paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this definition are met:
(i) There is at least one study that is a-(A) Correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias;
(B) Quasi-experimental design study that meets the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence
Standards with reservations; or
(C) Randomized controlled trial that meets the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards
with or without reservations.
(ii) The study referenced in paragraph (i) of this definition found a statistically significant or
substantively important (defined as a difference of 0.25 standard deviations or larger)
favorable association between at least one critical component and one relevant outcome
presented in the logic model for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice.
Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a well-specified conceptual framework
that identifies key components of the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e.,
the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant
outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key components and outcomes,
theoretically and operationally.
Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that attempts to approximate an
experimental design by identifying a comparison group that is similar to the treatment group
in important respects. These studies, depending on design and implementation, can meet
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What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations (but not What Works
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations).
Randomized controlled trial means a study that employs random assignment of, for example,
students, teachers, classrooms, schools, or districts to receive the intervention being
evaluated (the treatment group) or not to receive the intervention (the control group). The
estimated effectiveness of the intervention is the difference between the average outcomes
for the treatment group and for the control group. These studies, depending on design and
implementation, can meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without
reservations.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate outcome if not related to
students) the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice is designed to improve;
consistent with the specific goals of a program.
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice that
includes a logic model.
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards means the standards set forth in the What
Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 3.0, March 2014),
which can be found at the following link:
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/DocumentSum.aspx?sid=19.
The following definitions are from the Supplemental Priorities:
Persistently lowest-achieving school means, as determined by the State-(a)(1) Any Title I school that has been identified for improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring under section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA) and that-(i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring or the lowest-achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater; or
(ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate, as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b), that is less
than 60 percent over a number of years; and
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(2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, Title I funds that-(i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five
secondary schools in the State that are eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds,
whichever number of schools is greater; or
(ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate, as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b), that is less
than 60 percent over a number of years.
(b) To identify the lowest-achieving schools, a State must take into account both-(i) The academic achievement of the “all students” group in a school in terms of proficiency on
the State’s assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA, in reading/language arts and
mathematics combined; and
(ii) The school’s lack of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the “all
students” group.
Program Authority:
20 U.S.C. 1474 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 as regulations of the Department
in 2 CFR part 3474.
(d) The Supplemental Priorities.
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Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized
Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education (IHEs) only.
.
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II. AWARD INFORMATION
Type of Award:
Cooperative agreements.
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE:
April 21, 2017.
DEADLINE FOR TRANSMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS:
June 5, 2017.
DEADLINE FOR INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW:
August 4, 2017.
Estimated Available Funds:
The Administration has requested $30,047,000 for the Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with Disabilities program for FY 2017, of which we intend to use an
estimated $2,500,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional
awards in FY 2018 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$450,000 to $500,000 per year
Estimated Average Size of Award:
$471,352 per year
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Maximum Award:
We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget
period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards:
5.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period:
Up to 48 months.
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III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
1. Eligible Applicants:
State educational agencies (SEAs); LEAs, including public charter schools that are considered
LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying
areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching:
This competition does not require cost sharing or matching.
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: SEAs; LEAs,
including public charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other
public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States;
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit 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:
(c) 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).
(d) 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).
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has
established a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to
yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Educational
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Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities program. These measures are
included in the application package and focus on the extent to which projects are of high quality,
are relevant to improving outcomes of children with disabilities, contribute to improving
outcomes for children with disabilities, and generate evidence of validity and availability to
appropriate populations. Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data on
these measures as directed by OSEP.
Grantees also will be required to report information on their projects’ performance in annual and
final performance reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590).
PAGE LIMITS:
The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the
selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the application
narrative to no more than 50 pages, using 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, 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. An
application submitted in any other font (including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be
accepted.
The page limit and double-line spacing requirement 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 two-page abstract (follow the guidance provided elsewhere
in the application package for completing the abstract template), the table of contents, the list
priority requirements, the resumes, the reference list, or the letters of support, or the
appendices.. However, the page limit and the double-spacing requirements do apply to all of
Part III, the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen
shots.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit in the application narrative
section, or if you apply standards other than those specified in this notice and the
application package.
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INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW:
The competition in this notice is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive Order is to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened federalism. The Executive order relies on
processes developed by State and local governments for coordination and review of proposed
Federal financial assistance.
This document provides early notification of our specific plans and actions for this competition
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PRIORITY CONTACT:
Terry Jackson, Project Officer
Research to Practice Division
Office of Special Education Programs
Telephone: (202) 245-6039
FAX: (202) 245-7590
Internet: Terry.Jackson@ed.gov
TTD: 1-800-877-8339
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SELECTION CRITERIA AND FORMAT
FOR THE APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS—
STEPPING-UP TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION
(CFDA 84.327S) COMPETITION
Part III of the application form requires a narrative that addresses the selection criteria that will
be used by reviewers in evaluating individual proposals. Applications are more likely to receive
favorable reviews by panels when they are organized according to the format suggested below.
This format was published in the FEDERAL REGISTER as an appendix to the program
regulations, and it addresses all the selection criteria used to evaluate applications required by
regulations. If you prefer to use a different format, you may wish to cross-reference the sections
of your application to the selection criteria to be sure that reviewers are able to find all relevant
information.
The selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted to the Applications
for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities—Stepping-up Technology Implementation (CFDA 84.327S) competition are the
selection criteria for new grants required by the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The
maximum score for all of the criteria is 100 points.
The application narrative should include the following sections in this order:
(a) Significance
(10 points)
The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project.
(1) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The significance of the problem or issue to be addressed, and the magnitude of the need for
the services to be provided or carried out by the proposed project;
(ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities
have been identified and how the specific gaps or weaknesses will be addressed by the
proposed project;
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(iii) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase knowledge or understanding
of educational problems, issues, or effective strategies and the development and
advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the field of study; and
(iv) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving or otherwise addressing the
needs of children with disabilities.
(b) Quality of project services
(20 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the products and/or services to be provided by the
proposed project.
(1) In determining the quality of the products and/or services to be provided by the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal
access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age or
disability.
(2) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the products and/or services to be provided by the proposed project
reflect current knowledge from research and effective practice;
(ii) The extent to which the products and/or services are of sufficient quality, intensity, and
duration to lead to outcomes as intended by the proposed project;
(iii) The extent to which the products and/or services to be provided by the proposed, project,
involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project
services;
(iv) The likely utility of the products and/or services that will result from the proposed project,
including the potential for their being used effectively in a variety of other settings; and
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(v) The extent to which the products and resources developed by the proposed project include
accessible accessibility features, supporting the sustained implementation of the technology
tool or strategy.
(c) Quality of the project design
(20 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.
(1) 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 proposed logic model or conceptual framework depicts at a
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project.
(iii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes a thorough, high-quality
review of the relevant literature, reflects current knowledge from research and effective
practice; supported by strong theory; a high-quality plan for project implementation, and the
use of appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project
objectives.
(iv) The extent to which the proposed technology tool or strategy is fully-developed, evidencebased (as defined in this notice) and that can be implemented to improve early childhood
outcomes, academic achievement, or college and career readiness; and
(v) The extent to which the proposed technology tool or strategy addresses the following
principles of universal design: a) multiple means of representation so students can approach
information in more than one way; b) multiple means of expression so that all students can
demonstrate and express what they know; and c) multiple means of engagement to
stimulate interest in and motivation for learning.
(d) Quality of the management plan
(25 points)
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The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
(1) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to implement the activities described in the Project
Activities section and to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within
budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for
accomplishing project tasks;
(ii) The extent to which the time commitments and qualifications of the project director and
principal investigator, including relevant training and experience of key project personnel,
project consultants or subcontractors are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives
of the proposed project.
(iii) The adequacy of the plan for recruiting and selecting:
(a) The three development schools (the sites in which iterative development of the
implementation of technology tools and products will occur. The project must start
implementing the technology tool with at least one development school in year one of the
project period and two additional development schools in year two;
(b) Four pilot schools (the sites in which try-out, formative evaluation, and refinement of
technology tools and products will occur. The project must work with the four pilot schools
during years three and four of the project period; and
(c) Ten dissemination schools. The dissemination schools will be selected if the project is
extended for a fifth year. Dissemination schools will be used to conduct the final test of the
effectiveness of the products and the final opportunity for the project to refine the products
for use by teachers, but will receive less technical assistance (TA) from the project than the
development and pilot schools;
(iv) The adequacy of the information (e.g., early childhood setting; elementary, middle, or high
school; persistently lowest-achieving school; priority school) about the development, pilot,
and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch); and other pertinent data;
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(v) The adequacy of the plan to which the results and accompanying products of the proposed
project will be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information or
strategies; and
(vi) The adequacy of the plan to sustain the technology after funding ends.
(e) Adequacy of resources
(10 points)
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.
(1) 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.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from
the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization;
(ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to the
implementation and success of the project; and
(iii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project; and the costs
are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the
proposed project.
(f) Quality of the project evaluation
(15 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project.
(1) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:
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(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the
context within which the project operates, and include the use of objective performance
measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce
quantitative and qualitative data;
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for the examination of the
effectiveness of project implementation strategies;
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation is linked to the proposed project’s logic
model is appropriate for the formative evaluation, describing how performance objectives in
plan will ensure continuous performance feedback and improvement and assessment of
progress toward achieving intended outcomes in the operation of the proposed project’s
activities.
Competitive Preference Priority 1—Students with the Most Significant Cognitive
Disabilities (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, projects must be designed to support teachers in
providing access through technology to the general education curriculum aligned with State
grade-level content standards or alternate academic achievement standards in mathematics
and English language arts (K-12) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Teachers of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities will be able to use the
technology to differentiate grade-level instruction effectively and will be able to better track
student progress toward grade-level proficiency. Applicants responding to the competitive
preference priority must-(a) Identify technology tools based on evidence needed to implement an English language arts
or mathematics curriculum aligned with State grade-level content standards or alternate
academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities;
(b) Identify a curriculum and performance tracking tool for use by teachers for the purpose of
assessing the outcomes of the technology’s intended use on individualized instruction
aligned to K-12 grade--level content standards, or alternate academic achievement
standards, in English language arts and mathematics appropriate to students with the most
significant cognitive disabilities; and
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(c) Develop and disseminate accessible products and resources (e.g., instruction manuals,
lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials) that will assist teachers
in K-12 settings to implement the technology.
Competitive Preference Priority 2-Projects Supported by Evidence of Promise (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, applicants must include in the literature review
required under the absolute priority (paragraph (a) under the heading Application Requirements)
research that meets at least the evidence of promise standard and that supports the promise
(i.e., evidence base) of the proposed model under the absolute priority and its components and
processes.
Note: An applicant addressing this competitive preference priority must identify no more than
two study citations that meet this standard.
Competitive Preference Priority 3- Technology to Support Instructors and Students in
Juvenile Correctional Facilities (2 Points)
To meet this competitive preference priority, projects must provide technology to support
instructors and students in juvenile correctional facilities that-(a) Allows instructors to immediately assess a student’s current grade-level ability when the
student moves into a juvenile correctional facility without having the appropriate educational
information (e.g., individualized education program, section 504 plans, behavior intervention
plans). Technology can also allow instructors to develop education plans in addition to
individualized education programs required for students with disabilities under IDEA and
plans that describe services required for students with disabilities under section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
(b) Equips instructors with tools and resources to enhance the classroom experience, such as
flipped classrooms, blended learning, and other models and methods that would allow
students to make educational gains in and outside of the classroom; and
(c) Expands the reach of correctional education services to provide more incarcerated
individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to graduate.
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GENERAL INFORMATION ON
COMPLETING AN APPLICATION
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
GENERAL INFORMATION ON COMPLETING AN APPLICATION
Potential applicants frequently direct questions to officials of the Department regarding
application notices and programmatic and administrative regulations governing various direct
grant programs. To assist potential applicants, the Office of Special Education Programs staff
have assembled the following most commonly raised issues. In general, this information applies
to the grant competitions covered by this application package.
EXTENSION OF DEADLINES
Waivers for individual applications are not granted, regardless of the circumstances. Under very
extraordinary circumstances a closing date may be changed. Such changes are announced in
the Federal Register.
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 Governmentwide 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.
MAKING APPLICATIONS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO REVIEWERS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE
LOW VISION
The Department will accept one copy of the application in an accessible format (i.e., IBM PC
compatible WordPerfect or ASCII code diskette) along with the original and two print copies of
the application. The accessible format copy can be used with available software to convert the
text of the application into Braille, or with text to voice applications. If there are any differences
in the print original provided on the disk and in print, the print original is assumed to be the
correct version. Please note that it is not a requirement that one copy of the application be in an
accessible format.
MISSED DEADLINES AND SUBMISSION UNDER OTHER COMPETITIONS
Should an application miss the deadline for a particular competition, it may be submitted to
another competition. However, if an application is properly prepared to meet the specifications
of one competition, it is extremely unlikely that it would be favorably evaluated under a different
competition.
SUBMISSION TO MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM
Applications may be submitted to more than one Federal program if you are unsure of the most
appropriate program. Each application should be prepared following the instructions for that
particular program as closely as possible (which may require some reformulation). It is very
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helpful if each program is notified that an identical or similar application is being submitted to
another program.
HELP PREPARING APPLICATIONS
We are happy to provide general program information. Clearly it would not be appropriate for
staff to participate in the actual writing of an application, but we can respond to specific
questions about our application requirements and evaluation criteria, or about the announced
priorities. Applicants should understand that such previous contact is not required, nor does it
guarantee the success of an application.
NOTIFICATION OF FUNDING
The time required to complete the evaluation of applications is variable. Once applications have
been received staff must determine the areas of expertise needed to appropriately evaluate the
applications, identify and contact potential reviewers, convene peer review panels, and
summarize and review the recommendations of the review panels. You can expect to receive
notification within 3 to 6 months of the application closing date, depending on the number of
applications received and the number of competitions with closing dates at about the same time.
POSSIBILITY OF LEARNING THE OUTCOME OF REVIEW PANELS PRIOR TO
OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION
Every year we are called by a number of applicants who have legitimate reasons for needing to
know the outcome of the review prior to official notification. Some applicants need to make job
decisions, some need to notify a local school district, etc. Regardless of the reason, we cannot
share information about the review with anyone until the Assistant Secretary has approved a
slate of projects recommended for funding. You will be notified as quickly as possible either by
telephone (if your application is recommended for funding), or through a letter (if your
application is not successful).
FORMAT FOR APPLICATIONS
The application narrative (Part III of the application form) should be organized to follow the
exact sequence of the components in the selection criteria used to evaluate applications. (The
selection criteria for the competitions covered by this packet are listed following the specific
competition information in section “B” of this packet. The abstract, should precede the table of
contents, and application narrative. In submitting your application through Grants.gov, the
abstract template should be uploaded and attached to the Abstract File. The abstract template,
located at
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/oseptms/applicant.html#84327s should be completed to
provide a comprehensive description of the proposed project. For the table of contents, list of
priority requirements, and application narrative, you will have to PDF these documents into one
file, then upload and attach to the Mandatory Project Narrative File. If you prefer to use a
different format, you may wish to cross-reference the sections of your application to the
selection criteria to be sure that reviewers are able to find all relevant information.
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To aid in screening and reviewing the application, applicants should list after the table of
contents, all general, special, and other requirements for the priority and corresponding page
number (s) where requirements are addressed within the application. (All requirements are
found in each priority description included in this application package.) Page limits do not apply
to this list of priority requirements (see Application Forms and Instructions for Grants.gov
Submission document for upload instructions). The format included below is an example of how
you might provide this information in your application.
PAGE #
REQUIREMENTS
________
(a) Projects funded under this notice must make positive efforts to employ and
advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities in project
activities. (See Section 606 of IDEA)
________
(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must involve
individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth
through 26 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects. (See
Section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA)
________
(c) Applicant must describe steps to ensure equitable access to, and
participation in, its program for students, teachers, and other program
beneficiaries with special needs. (See Section 427, GEPA)
________
(d) Projects funded under these priorities must budget for a three-day Project’s
Directors’ meeting in Washington, D.C. during each year of the project.
PAGE LIMITS
Please note that all applications submitted under the competition in this application package
must adhere to the Part III—Application Narrative page limit requirements that are specified
under each priority/competition description. Your application should provide enough information
to allow the review panel to evaluate the importance and impact of the project as well as to
make knowledgeable judgments about the methods you propose to use (design, subjects,
sampling procedures, measures, instruments, data analysis strategies, etc.). It is often helpful to
have:
1. Staff Vitae:
They should include each person's title and role in the proposed project and
contain only information that is relevant to this proposed project's activities
and/or publications. Vitae for consultants and Advisory Council members
should be similarly brief.
2. Instruments: Except in the case of generally available and well known instruments.
3. Agreements: When the participation of an agency other than the applicant is critical to the
project. This is particularly critical when an intervention will be implemented
within an agency, or when subjects will be drawn from particular agencies.
Letters of cooperation should be specific, indicating agreement to implement
a particular intervention or to provide access to a particular group of students.
The items listed above are not included under page limits.
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MAKING SURE APPLICATION IS ASSIGNED TO THE CORRECT COMPETITION
Applicants should clearly indicate in Item 11 on the application (SF Form 424) the CFDA
number of the program priority (e.g., 84.327S, etc.) representing the competition in which the
application should be considered. If this information is not provided, your application may
inadvertently be assigned and reviewed under a different competition from the one you
intended.
RETURN OF NON-FUNDED APPLICATIONS
We do not return original copies of applications. Thus, applicants should retain at least one copy
of the application. Copies of reviewer comments will be mailed to all applicants.
PROPOSED STAFF AVAILABILITY TO PROJECT
For each staff person named in the application, please provide documentation of all internal and
external time commitments. In instances where a staff person is committed on a federally
supported project, please provide the project name, Federal office, program title, the project
federal award number, and the amount of committed time by each project year. This information
(e.g., Staff: Jane Doe; Project Name: Succeeding in the General Curriculum; Federal office: Office
of Special Education Programs; Program title: Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals with Disabilities; Award number: H326A030002; Time commitments: Year 1—30%;
Year 2—25% and Year 3—40%) can be provided as an Appendix to the application.
In general, we will not reduce time commitments on currently funded grants from the time
proposed in the original application. Therefore, we will not consider for funding any application
where key staff are bid above a time commitment level that staff have available to bid. Further, the
time commitments stated in newly submitted applications will not be negotiated down to permit the
applicant to receive a new grant award.
USE OF PERSON LOADING CHARTS
It is important for applicants to include proposed time commitments for all project personnel.
Also, program officials and applicants often find person loading charts useful formats for
showing project personnel and their time commitments to individual activities. A person loading
chart is a tabular representation of major evaluation activities by number of days spent by each
key person involved in each activity, as shown in the following example.
TABLE: PERSON LOADING CHART—TIME IN DAY(S) BY PERSON*
Activity
Library Research
Hire Staff
Prepare Materials
Train Raters
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Dissemination (manuscripts, etc.)
Time in
Day(s) by
Person:
Time in
Day(s) by
Person:
Time in
Day(s) by
Person:
Time in
Day(s) by
Person:
Person A
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Person B
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
Person C
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Person D
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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*Note: All figures represent FTE for the grant year.
DELIVERING/SENDING APPLICATIONS TO THE COMPETITION MANAGER
Applications can be mailed or hand delivered, or submitted electronically but in either case must
go to the Application Control Center at the address listed in the Application Transmittal
Instructions. Delivering or sending the application to the competition manager in the program
office may prevent it from being logged in on time to the appropriate competition and may result
in the application not being reviewed.
ALLOWED TRAVEL UNDER THESE PROJECTS
Travel is allowed if the travel specifically relates to the expressed goals of the project. Travel by
students to further their education under the project's goals is also allowed. Travel to
conferences is the travel item that is most likely to be questioned during negotiations. Such
travel is sometimes allowed when it is for purposes of dissemination, when there will be results
to be disseminated, and when it is clear that a conference presentation or workshop is an
effective way of reaching a particular target group.
FUNDING OF APPROVED APPLICATIONS
It is often the case that the number of applications recommended for approval by the reviewers
exceeds the dollars available for funding projects under a particular competition. When the
panel reviews are completed for a particular competition, the individual reviewer scores and
applications are ranked. The higher ranked, approved applications are funded first, and there
are often lower ranked, approved applications that do not receive funding. Sometimes, one or
two applications that are approved and fall next in rank order (after those projects selected for
funding) are placed on hold. If dollars become available as a result of negotiations, or if a higher
ranked applicant declines the award, the projects on hold may receive funding. If you receive a
letter stating that you will not receive funding, then your project has neither been selected for
funding nor placed on hold.
INDIRECT COST RATE
There is no maximum indirect cost for the competitions in this application package. An organization’s
current effective indirect cost rate is the rate that should be reflected in your proposed budget. The
Department of Education (ED) reimburses grantees for its portion of indirect costs that a grantee
incurs in projects funded by the Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with Disabilities—Stepping-up Technology Implementation (CFDA 84.327S)
competition. Any grantee charging indirect costs to a grant from this program must use the indirect
cost rate (ICR), negotiated with its cognizant agency, i.e., either the Federal agency from which it
has received the most direct funding, subject to indirect cost support, the particular agency
specifically assigned cognizance by the Office of Management and Budget or the State agency that
provides the most subgrant funds to the grantee.
Note: Applicants should pay special attention to specific questions on the application budget
form (ED 524) about their cognizant agency and the ICR they are using in their budget.
If an applicant selected for funding under this program has not already established a current
ICR with its cognizant agency as a result of current or previous funding, ED will require it to do
so within 90 days after the date the grant was issued by ED. Applicants should be aware that
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ED is very often not the cognizant agency for its own grantees. Rather, ED accepts, for the
purpose of funding its awards, the current ICR established by the appropriate cognizant agency.
An applicant that has not previously established an indirect cost rate with the Federal government
or a State agency under a Federal program and that is selected for funding will not be allowed to
charge its grant for indirect costs until it has negotiated a current indirect cost rate agreement with
its cognizant agency.
Applicants are encouraged to use their accountant (or CPA) to calculate an indirect cost rate
using information in the IRS Form 990, audited financial statements, actual cost data or a cost
policy statement that such applicants are urged to prepare (but NOT submit to ED) during the
application process.
Applicants should use this proposed rate in their application materials and indicate which of the
above methods was used to calculate the rate. Guidance for creating a cost policy statement
can be obtained by sending an E-mail to:
katrina.mcdonald@ed.gov
Applicants with questions about using indirect cost rates under this program should contact the
program contact person shown elsewhere in this application package.
ISSUES RAISED DURING DISCUSSIONS PRIOR TO AWARD
If your application is recommended for funding, discussions may be held prior to award to clarify
technical or budget issues. These are issues that have been identified during panel and staff
review. Generally, technical issues are minor issues that require clarification. Alternative
approaches may be presented for your consideration, or you may be asked to provide additional
information or rationale for something you have proposed to do. Sometimes, concerns are
stated as "conditions". These are concerns that have been identified as so critical that the award
cannot be made unless those conditions are met. Questions are also raised about the proposed
budget during the discussion phase. Generally, budget issues are raised because there is
inadequate justification or explanation of the particular budget item, or because the budget item
does not seem critical to the successful completion of the project. A Federal project officer will
present the issues to you and ask you to respond. If you do not understand the question, you
should ask for clarification. In responding to discussion items you should provide any additional
information or clarification requested. You may feel that an issue was addressed in the
application. It may not, however, have been explained in enough detail to make it understood by
reviewers, and more information should be provided. If you are asked to make changes that you
feel could seriously affect the project's success, you may provide reasons for not making the
changes, or provide alternative suggestions. Similarly, if proposed budget reductions will, in
your opinion, seriously affect the proposed activities, you may want to explain why and provide
additional justification for the proposed expenses. Your changes, explanations and alternative
suggestions will be carefully evaluated by staff. In some instances, an applicant may again be
contacted for additional information. An award cannot be made until all issues have been
resolved and conditions met.
TREATING A PRIORITY AS TWO SEPARATE COMPETITIONS.
In the past, there have been problems in finding peer reviewers without conflicts of interest
where applications are made by many entities throughout the country. The Standing Panel
requirements also place additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, The
Department has determined that, for some discretionary priorities, applications may be ranked
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and selected for funding in two or more groups, which will ensure the availability of a much
larger group of reviewers without conflicts of interest. This procedure will increase the quality,
independence and fairness of the review process and will permit panel members to review
applications under discretionary priorities to which they have also submitted applications.
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS AND ESTIMATED/PROJECTED BUDGET AMOUNTS IN
SUBSEQUENT YEARS
There is a maximum award amount specified for the priority/competitions included in this
package. The Department rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget
exceeding the maximum amount for any single budget period of 12 months for the priorities
included in this package. Please refer to the priority description to determine the maximum
award for any one particular competition. Since the yearly budgets for multi-year projects will be
negotiated at the time of the initial award, applicants must include detailed budgets for each
year of their proposed project. Generally, out-year funding levels most likely will not exceed 1st
year budgets. However, budget modifications during the negotiation process, the findings from
the previous year, or needed changes in the study design can affect your budget requirements
in subsequent years, but in no case will out-year budgets exceed the maximum award amount.
REQUIREMENT TO REPORT THE RESULTS OF GRANT ACTIVITIES
The Department shall, where appropriate, require recipients of all grants, contracts and
cooperative agreements under Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to
prepare reports describing their procedures, findings, and other relevant information. The
Department shall require their delivery to the Department of Education and other networks as
The Department may determine appropriate. (20 U.S.C. 1482)
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND A GRANT
A cooperative agreement is similar to a grant in that its principal purpose is to accomplish a
public purpose of support or stimulation as authorized by a Federal statute. It differs from a
grant in the sense that in a cooperative agreement substantial involvement is anticipated
between the executive agency (in this case the Department of Education) and the recipient
during the performance of the contemplated activity.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY, AN INVITATIONAL PRIORITY, AND A
COMPETITIVE PRIORITY
An absolute priority is a priority that an applicant must address in order to receive an award. If
an applicant does not address an absolute priority, their application will be returned as being
non-responsive to the priority.
An invitational priority is a priority that reflects a particular interest of the Department, and an
applicant is encouraged to address the invitational priority along with the required absolute
priority. However, an applicant choosing to address an invitational priority will not receive any
competitive preference over other applications.
A competitive priority is like an invitational priority in that it reflects a particular interest of the
Department, and an applicant is encouraged to address the competitive priority along with the
required absolute priority. A competitive priority may be handled in one of two ways:
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1. an application may be awarded additional points depending on how effectively it addresses
the competitive priority; or
2. an application that meets a competitive priority may be selected over an application of
comparable merit that does not address the competitive priority. The type of competitive
priority for a particular competition is always included in the Federal Register
announcement.
OBTAINING COPIES OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER, PROGRAM REGULATIONS AND
FEDERAL STATUTES
Copies of these materials can usually be found at your local library. If not, they can be obtained by
writing to:
Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20402
Telephone: 202-512-1800
Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including copies of application notices for
discretionary grant competitions, can be viewed on the Department's grant information web page
which can be accessed on the Internet at: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant competition is the notice
published in the Federal Register.
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL
INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR
INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW
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APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS
ATTENTION ELECTRONIC APPLICANTS: Please note that you must follow the
Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant
competition. This program requires electronic submission of applications, and specific
requirements and waiver instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described in the
Federal Register notice for this competition, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the
electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application
deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions.
If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following
deadline requirements:
APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the
Government-wide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be
able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and
submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by
the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the
application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in Federal Register notice for this
competition, we will not consider your application if it is date and time stamped by the
Grants.gov system later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the application deadline
date.
You should review and follow the Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants for
submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in this application package to
ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system.
Please note the following:
You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .pdf (Portable
Document) format. If you upload a file type other than a .pdf file, or submit a passwordprotected file, we will not review that material.
Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same
name within a grant submission.
When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names
could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend
your file names be less than 50 characters. The amount of time it can take to upload an
application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application
and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do
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not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through
Grants.gov.
Your electronic application must comply with any page-limit requirements described in this
application package.
If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please
contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
According to the instructions found in the Federal Register notice, only those requesting and
qualifying for an Exception to the electronic submission requirement may submit an application
via mail, commercial carrier or by hand delivery.
SUBMISSION OF PAPER APPLICATIONS BY MAIL:
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through
the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must
mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327S)
LBJ Basement Level 1
400 Maryland Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20202-4260
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the
following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your
application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on
this method, you should check with your local post office.
D-3
SUBMISSION OF PAPER APPLICATIONS BY HAND DELIVERY:
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier
service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the
original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327S)
550 12th Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20202-4260
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, D.C. time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
NOTE FOR MAIL OR HAND DELIVERY OF PAPER APPLICATIONS:
If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department—
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11
of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under
which you are submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant
application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS WITH ADOBE READER SOFTWARE
The Department of Education, working with Grants.gov, is currently moving from using
PureEdge software to using Adobe Reader software exclusively and applications submitted to
Grants.gov for the Department of Education will be posted using Adobe forms. Applicants will no
longer need to use the PureEdge software to create or submit an application.
Please note: The compatible version of Adobe Reader is required for viewing, editing and
submitting a complete grant application package for the Department of Education through
Grants.gov. Applicants should confirm the compatibility of their Adobe Reader version before
downloading the application. To ensure applicants have a version of Adobe Reader on their
computer that is compatible with Grants.gov, applicants are encouraged to use the test package
provided by Grants.gov that can be accessed at
http://www.grants.gov/applicants/AdobeVersioningTestOnly.jsp.
IMPORTANT ISSUES TO CONSIDER:
If the applicant opened or edited the application package with any software other than the
compatible version of Adobe Reader, the application package may contain errors that will be
D-4
transferred to the new package even if you later download the compatible Adobe Reader
version.
Applicants cannot copy and paste data from a package initially opened or edited with an
incompatible version of Adobe Reader and will need to download an entirely new package
using the compatible version of Adobe Reader.
Some applicants using an incompatible version of Adobe Reader may have trouble
opening and viewing the application package while others may find they can open, view and
complete the application package but may not be able to submit the application package
through Grants.gov.
Grants.gov does not guarantee to support versions of Adobe Reader that are not
compatible with Grants.gov.
Any and all edits made to the Adobe Reader application package must be made with the
compatible version of Adobe Reader.
For your convenience, the latest version of Adobe Reader is available for free download
at http://grantsgov.tmp.com/static2007/help/download_software.jsp#adobe811.
We strongly recommend that you review the information on computer and operating system
compatibility with Adobe available at
http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_faqs.jsp#software before downloading, completing
or submitting your application.
Applicants are reminded that they should submit their application a day or two in advance of the
closing date as detailed in the Federal Register Notice. If you have any questions regarding this
matter please email the Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or call
1-800-518-4726.
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
APPENDIX
D-6
INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
This appendix applies to each program that is subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
The objective of the executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to
strengthen federalism by relying on state and local processes for state and local government
coordination and review of proposed federal financial assistance.
Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of Contact to find out about, and to
comply with, the state's process under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform
activities in more than one state should immediately contact the Single Point of Contact for each
of those states and follow the procedure established in each of those states under the Executive
order. A listing containing the Single Point of Contact for each state is included in this appendix.
In states that have not established a process or chosen a program for review, state, areawide,
regional, and local entities may submit comments directly to the Department.
Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a State Single Point of
Contact and any comments from state, areawide, regional and local entities must be mailed or
hand-delivered by the date indicated in the actual application notice to the following address:
The Secretary
EO 12372—CFDA 84.327S [commenter must insert number—including suffix letter,
if any]
U.S. Department of Education, Room 7W301
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR 75.102).
Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time)
on the date indicated in the actual application notice.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS NOT THE SAME ADDRESS AS THE ONE
TO WHICH THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ITS COMPLETED APPLICATION. DO NOT SEND
APPLICATIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.
D-7
STATE SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT (SPOCS)
It is estimated that in 2009 the federal government will outlay $500 billion in grants to state and
local governments. Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,"
was issued with the desire to foster the intergovernmental partnership and strengthen
federalism by relying on state and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed
federal financial assistance and direct federal development. The order allows each state to
designate an entity to perform this function. Below is the official list of those entities. For those
states that have a home page for their designated entity, a direct link has been provided below
by clicking on the state name.
States that are not listed on this page have chosen not to participate in the intergovernmental
review process, and therefore do not have a SPOC. If you are located within a state that does
not have a SPOC, you may send application materials directly to a federal awarding agency
Contact information for federal agencies that award grants can be found in Appendix IV of the
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
http://12.46.245.173/CFDA/appx4_web.pdf
or by state:
http://12.46.245.173/CFDA/appx4_web_state.pdf
D-8
STATE SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT
ARIZONA
Matthew Hanson, GPC
Statewide Grant Administrator
ADOA, Office of Grants and Federal
Resources
100 N. 15th Avenue, 4th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-542-7567
EMAIL: Matthew.Hanson@azdoa.gov
ARKANSAS
Tracy L. Copeland
Manager, State Clearinghouse
Office of Intergovernmental Services
Department of Finance and Administration
1515 W. 7th Street, Room 412
Little Rock, AR 72203
TEL:
(501) 682-1074
FAX:
(501) 682-5206
E-mail: tracy.copeland@dfa.state.ar.us
CALIFORNIA
Grants Coordination
State Clearinghouse
Office of Planning and Research
P.O. Box 3044, Room 222
Sacramento, CA 95812-3044
TEL:
(916) 445-0613
FAX:
(916) 327-3018
E-mail: State.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov
DELAWARE
Jennifer L. Carlson
Assoc. Fiscal & Policy Analyst
Office of Management and Budget
Budget Development, Planning &
Administration
Haslet Armory, Third Floor
122 William Penn Street
Dover, DE 19901 SLC D570E
TEL:
(302) 739-4206
FAX:
(302) 739-5661
E-mail: jennifer.carlson@state.de.us
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Donna Bexley
DC Government Office of Partnerships
and Grants Development
441 4th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
TEL: (202) 727-6437
FAX: (202) 727-1652
E-mail: Donna.bexley@dc.gov
FLORIDA
Lauren P. Milligan
Florida State Clearinghouse
Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard
Mall Station 47
Tallahassee, FL 32799-3000
TEL:
(850) 245-2161
FAX:
(850) 245-2190
E-mail: Lauren.Milligan@dep.state.fl.us
GEORGIA
Barbara Jackson
Georgia State Clearinghouse
270 Washington Street, SW, 8th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30334
TEL:
(404) 656-3855
FAX:
(404) 656-7901
E-mail: gach@mail.opb.state.ga.us
IOWA
Kathy Mable
Iowa Department of Management
State Capitol Building Room G12
1007 E. Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50319
TEL:
(515) 281-8834
FAX:
(515) 242-5897
E-mail: Kathy.Mable@iowa.gov
D-9
STATE SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT
KENTUCKY
Lee Nalley
The Governor’s Office for Local Development
1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 340
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
TEL: (502) 573-2382 Ext. 274
Fax: (502) 573-1519
E-mail: Lee.Nalley@ky.gov
LOUISIANA
Terry Thomas
Louisiana SPOC for EPA Grant
Office of Management and Finance
LA Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 4303
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4303
TEL: (225) 219-3840
FAX: (225) 219-3846
EMAIL: Terry.Thomas@la.gov
MARYLAND
Linda C. Janey, J.D.
Director, Capital Planning and
Development Review
Maryland Department of Planning
301 West Preston Street, Room 1104
Baltimore, MD 21201-2305
TEL:
(410) 767-4490
FAX:
(410) 767-4480
E-mail: linda@mail.op.state.md.us
MICHIGAN
William Parkus
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
535 Griswold, Suite 300
Detroit, MI 48226
TEL:
(313) 961-4266
FAX:
(313) 961-4869
E-mail: parkus@semcog.org
MISSOURI
Sara VanderFeltz
Federal Assistance Clearinghouse
Office of Administration
Commissioner’s Office
Capitol Building, Room 125
Jefferson City, MO 65102
TEL:
(573) 751-0337
FAX:
(573) 751-1212
E-mail: sara.vanderfeltz@oa.mo.gov
NEVADA
Gosia Sylwesprzak
Department of Administration
Nevada State Clearinghouse
Coordinator/SPOC
209 E. Musser Street, Room 200
Carson City, Nevada 89701
TEL:
(775) 684-0209
FAX:
(775) 684-0260
E-mail: clearinghouse@budget.state.nv.us
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Amy Ignatius
Acting Director, New Hampshire Office of
Energy and Planning
Attn: Intergovernmental Review
Process, Mark Toussiant
57 Regional Drive
Concord, New Hampshire 03301-8519
TEL:
(603) 271-2155
FAX:
(603) 271-2615
E-mail: irp@nh.gov
NORTH DAKOTA
Jim Boyd
ND Department of Commerce
1600 East Century Avenue, Suite 2
P.O. Box 2057
Bismarck, ND 58502-2057
TEL:
(701) 328-2676
FAX:
(701) 328-2308
E-mail: jboyd@state.nd.us
D-10
STATE SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT
RHODE ISLAND
Bill McKenna
Division of Planning
One Capitol Hill
Providence, Rhode Island 02908-5870
TEL:
(401) 222-6185
FAX:
(401) 222-2083
E-mail: billm@doa.ri.gov
SOUTH CAROLINA
Jean Ricard
Office of State Budget
1201 Main Street, Suite 870
Columbia, SC 29201
TEL:
(803) 734-1314
FAX:
(803) 734-0645
E-mail: jricard@budget.sc.us
UTAH
Tenielle Young
Utah State Clearinghouse
Governor's Office of Planning
and Budget Utah State Capitol Complex
Suite E210, PO Box 142210
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2210
TEL:
(801) 538-1570
FAX:
(801) 538-1547
E-mail: Tenielleyoung@utah.gov
WEST VIRGINIA
Bobby Lewis, Director
Community Development Division
West Virginia Development Office
Building #6, Room 553
Charleston, WV 25305
TEL:
(304) 558-4010
FAX:
(304) 558-3248
E-mail: rlewis@wvdo.org
AMERICAN SAMOA
Pat M. Galea'i
Federal Grants/Programs Coordinator
Office of Federal Programs
Office of the Governor
Department of Commerce
American Samoa Government
Pago Pago, AS 96799
TEL:
(684) 633-5155
FAX:
(684) 633-4195
E-mail: pmgaleai@samoatelco.com
GUAM
Roland C.P. Villaverde
Administrator
Guam State Clearinghouse
Office of I Segundo na Maga’lahen Guåhan
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 2950
Hågatña, Guam 96932
TEL: (671) 475-9380 ext. 901
FAX: (671) 477-2007
E-mail: administrator@guamclearinghouse.com
NORTH MARIANA ISLANDS
Mr. Antonio S. Muna
Special Assistant for Management
Office of Management and Budget
Office of the Governor
Saipan, MP 96950
TEL: (670) 664-2289
FAX: (670) 327-2272
E-mail: macaranas@yahoo.com
PUERTO RICO
Ing. David Rodríguez / Luz H. Olmeda
Puerto Rico Planning Board
Federal Proposals Review Office
PO Box 41119
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00940-1119
TEL: 787-723-6190
FAX: 787-722-6783
E-mail: Olmeda_L@jp.gobierno.pr
D-11
STATE SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT
VIRGIN ISLANDS
Debra Gottlieb (Acting Director)
Director, Office of Management and Budget
#41 Norre Gade Emancipation Garden
Station, Second Floor
Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802
TEL: (340) 774-0750
FAX: (340) 776-0069
E-mail: dbgottlieb@omb.gov.vi
Changes to this list can be made only after OMB is notified by a state’s officially designated
representative. E-mail messages can be sent to Hai_M._Tran@omb.eop.gov. If you prefer, you
may send correspondence to the following postal address:
Attn: Grants Management
Office of Management and Budget
New Executive Office Building, Suite 6025
725 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20503
Please note: Inquiries about obtaining a federal grant should not be sent to the OMB e-mail or
postal address shown above. The best source for this information is the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance or CFDA (www.cfda.gov) and the Grants.gov Web site (www.grants.gov).
D-12
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS
ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS AND
APPLICATION FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS
E-1
NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS
whether these or other barriers may prevent
your students, teachers, etc. from such
access or participation in, the Federallyfunded project or activity. The description in
your application of steps to be taken to
overcome these barriers need not be
lengthy; you may provide a clear and
succinct description of how you plan to
address those barriers that are applicable to
your circumstances. In addition, the
information may be provided in a single
narrative, or, if appropriate, may be
discussed in connection with related topics
in the application.
The purpose of this enclosure is to inform
you about a new provision in the
Department of Education's General
Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that
applies to applicants for new grant awards
under Department programs. This provision
is Section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of
the Improving America's Schools Act of
1994 (Public Law (P.L.) 103-382).
To Whom Does This Provision Apply?
Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for
new grant awards under this program. ALL
APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS MUST
INCLUDE INFORMATION IN THEIR
APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS NEW
PROVISION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE
FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the
requirements of civil rights statutes, but
rather to ensure that, in designing their
projects, applicants for Federal funds
address equity concerns that may affect the
ability of certain potential beneficiaries to
fully participate in the project and to achieve
to high standards. Consistent with program
requirements and its approved application,
an applicant may use the Federal funds
awarded to it to eliminate barriers it
identifies.
(If this program is a State-formula grant
program, a State needs to provide this
description only for projects or activities that
it carries out with funds reserved for Statelevel uses. In addition, local school districts
or other eligible applicants that apply to the
State for funding need to provide this
description in their applications to the State
for funding. The State would be responsible
for ensuring that the school district or other
local entity has submitted a sufficient section
427 statement as described below.)
What are Examples of How an Applicant
Might Satisfy the Requirement of This
Provision?
The following examples may help illustrate
how an applicant may comply with Section
427.
What Does This Provision Require?
Section 427 requires each applicant for
funds (other than an individual person) to
include in its application a description of the
steps the applicant proposes to take to
ensure equitable access to, and
participation in, its Federally-assisted
program for students, teachers, and other
program beneficiaries with special needs.
This provision allows applicants discretion in
developing the required description. The
statute highlights six types of barriers that
can impede equitable access or
participation: gender, race, national origin,
color, disability, or age. Based on local
circumstances, you should determine
(1) An applicant that proposes to carry out
an adult literacy project serving, among
others, adults with limited English
proficiency, might describe in its
application how it intends to distribute a
brochure about the proposed project to
such potential participants in their native
language.
(2) An applicant that proposes to develop
instructional materials for classroom use
might describe how it will make the
materials available on audio tape or in
braille for students who are blind.
E-2
(3) An applicant that proposes to carry out a
model science program for secondary
students and is concerned that girls may
be less likely than boys to enroll in the
course, might indicate how it intends to
conduct "outreach" efforts to girls, to
encourage their enrollment.
transgender students, and efforts to
reach out to and involve the families of
LGBT students
We recognize that many applicants may
already be implementing effective steps to
ensure equity of access and participation in
their grant programs, and we appreciate
your cooperation in responding to the
requirements of this provision.
(4) An applicant that proposes a project to
increase school safety might describe
the special efforts it will take to address
concern of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
ESTIMATED BURDEN STATEMENT FOR GEPA REQUIREMENTS
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. Public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.5 hours per
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering
and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (Public Law
103-382. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email
ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1894-0005.
OMB Control No. 1894-0005 (Exp. 03/31/2017)
E-3
APPLICATION FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS
FOR GRANTS.GOV APPLICATIONS
The electronic application on Grants.gov consists of multiple mandatory forms that must be
completed as well as narrative attachment forms that should be used to upload any file
attachments. While there are no file size restrictions, we strongly discourage submission of very
large documents. Follow the guidance provided on Grants.gov as well as the Submission Tips
document located in this application instruction document for specific information on file sizes,
file naming requirements, etc. NOTE: As stated in the application notice, the Department only
accepts PDF files.
Listed below are all forms that must be completed and instructions on where to upload
narratives for the application.
General Forms:
•
Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
•
Department of Education Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (ED-524)
•
Department of Education Supplemental for SF-424
Note: instructions for all of the standard forms (SF-424, 524, and 424 Supplemental, etc.), will
follow the forms included elsewhere in the application package.
Assurances and Certifications:
•
Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)
•
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
•
Grants.gov Lobbying Form (Formerly ED Form 80-0013)
•
ED GEPA427 Form
Abstract:
•
ED Abstract Form—(Upload and attach your PDF abstract to Abstract File). For the
application Abstract, applicants should use the template located at:
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/oseptms/applicant.html#84327s
Narrative Attachment Forms:
•
Project Narrative Attachment Form* (Upload and attach to Mandatory Project Narrative
File). Submit only one PDF document to the Mandatory Project Narrative File in the
following order:
o
Table of Contents
o
List of Priority Requirements and corresponding page number(s) where
requirements are addressed within the application (if applicable)
o
Project Narrative (required)
E-4
Other Narrative Attachments (Upload and attach to Optional Project Narrative File).
Upload the attachments in the order they should appear in the application.
Suggested order...
o
Reference List
o
Appendix A (See Dear Applicant letter for description)
o
Resumes
o
Letters
o
Supplementary Information
o
Other Appendices
*NOTE: The Project Narrative Attachment Form should include the narrative (text) that
addresses each of the selection criteria, listed elsewhere in this document. The
selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition.
The narrative has a strict page limit (check the Page Limits section of this document
for exact page limits for the competition to which you are applying). The table of
contents and list of priority requirements, if applicable, do not count toward narrative
page limit.
NOTE: The Federal Funding Opportunity Number for this program is
ED-GRANTS-042117-001
NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the
Standard Form (SF 424) in Part I. Although this form accepts attachments, that option
should not be used.
E-5
PART I: APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE (SF-424)
OMB Number: 4040-0004
Expiration Date: 10/31/2019
APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE—SF-424
*1. Type of Submission:
Preapplication
Application
Changed/Corrected Application
*2. Type of Application
New
Continuation
Revision
*If Revision, select appropriate letter(s):
*Other (Specify):
4. Applicant Identifier:
*3. Date Received:
Completed by Grants.gov upon submission
5a. Federal Entity Identifier:
*5b. Federal Award Identifier:
State Use Only:
6. Date Received by State:
7. State Application Identifier:
8. APPLICANT INFORMATION:
*a. Legal Name:
*b. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number
(EIN/TIN):
*c. Organizational DUNS:
d. Address:
*Street 1:
Street 2:
*City:
County/Parish:
*State:
Province:
*Country:
*Zip / Postal Code
e. Organizational Unit:
Department Name:
Division Name:
f. Name and contact information of person to be contacted on matters involving this application:
Prefix:
*First Name:
Middle Name:
*Last Name:
Suffix:
Title:
Organizational Affiliation:
*Telephone Number:
Fax Number:
*E-mail:
E-6
APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE—SF-424
9. Type of Applicant 1: Select Applicant Type:
Type of Applicant 2: Select Applicant Type:
Type of Applicant 3: Select Applicant Type:
*Other (Specify):
*10 Name of Federal Agency:
11. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:
CFDA Title:
*12 Funding Opportunity Number:
*Title:
13. Competition Identification Number: *Not applicable to this competition
Title: *Not applicable to this competition
14. Areas Affected by Project (Cities, Counties, States, etc.):
*15. Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project:
Attach supporting documents as specified in agency instructions.
16. Congressional Districts Of:
*a. Applicant:
*b. Program/Project:
17. Proposed Project:
*a. Start Date:
*b. End Date:
18. Estimated Funding ($):
*a. Federal:
*b. Applicant:
*c. State:
*d. Local:
*e. Other:
*f. Program Income:
*g. TOTAL:
*19. Is Application Subject to Review By State Under Executive Order 12372 Process?
a. This application was made available to the State under the Executive Order 12372 Process for review
on
b. Program is subject to E.O. 12372 but has not been selected by the State for review.
c. Program is not covered by E.O. 12372
*20. Is the Applicant Delinquent On Any Federal Debt? (If “Yes”, provide explanation.)
Yes
No
If “Yes”, provide explanation and attach.
E-7
APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE—SF-424
21. *By signing this application, I certify:
(1) To the statements contained in the list of certifications** and
(2) That the statements herein are true, complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I also provide the
required assurances** and agree to comply with any resulting terms if I accept an award. I am aware that any
false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties.
(U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001)
I AGREE**
** The list of certifications and assurances, or an internet site where you may obtain this list, is contained in the
announcement or agency specific instructions
Authorized Representative:
Prefix:
*First Name:
Middle Name:
*Last Name:
Suffix:
*Title:
*Telephone Number:
Fax Number:
*E-mail:
*Signature of Authorized Representative:
*Date Signed:
Completed by Grants.gov upon submission
Completed by Grants.gov upon submission
E-8
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SF-424
This is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications and
applications and related information under discretionary programs. Some of the items are required
and some are optional at the discretion of the applicant or the federal agency (agency). Required
fields on the form are identified with an asterisk (*) and are also specified as “Required” in the
instructions below. In addition to these instructions, applicants must consult agency instructions to
determine other specific requirements.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5a
Type of Submission:
(Required) Select one type of submission in accordance
with agency instructions.
► Pre-application
► Application
► Changed/Corrected Application – Check if this
submission is to change or correct a previously
submitted application. Unless requested by the
agency, applicants may not use this form to submit
changes after the closing date.
10.
Type of Application:
(Required) Select one type of application in accordance
with agency instructions.
• New—An application that is being submitted to an
agency for the first time.
• Continuation—An extension for an additional
funding/budget period for a project with a projected
completion date. This can include renewals.
• Revision—Any change in the federal government’s
financial obligation or contingent liability from an
existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate
letter(s). More than one may be selected. If "Other" is
selected, please specify in text box provided.
A. Increase Award
B. Decrease Award
C. Increase Duration
D. Decrease Duration
E. Other (specify)
Date Received:
Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the
Federal agency..
Applicant Identifier:
Enter the entity identifier assigned buy the Federal
agency, if any, or the applicant’s control number if
applicable.
Federal Entity Identifier:
Enter the number assigned to your organization by the
federal agency, if any.
12.
11.
13.
14.
Name Of Federal Agency: (Required)
Enter the name of the federal agency from which
assistance is being requested with this application.
Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance
Number/Title:
Enter the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
number and title of the program under which assistance
is requested, as found in the program announcement, if
applicable.
Funding Opportunity Number/Title:
(Required) Enter the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)
and title of the opportunity under which assistance is
requested, as found in the program announcement.
Competition Identification Number/Title:
Enter the competition identification number and title of
the competition under which assistance is requested, if
applicable.
Areas Affected By Project:
This data element is intended for use only by programs for
which the area(s) affected are likely to be different than the
place(s) of performance reported on the SF-424
Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form. Add attachment
to enter additional areas, if needed.
15.
Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project:
(Required) Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. If
appropriate, attach a map showing project location (e.g.,
construction or real property projects). For preapplications, attach a summary description of the project.
16.
Congressional Districts Of:
16a. (Required) Enter the applicant’s congressional
district. 16b. Enter all district(s) affected by the program
E-9
5b.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Federal Award Identifier:
For new applications, enter NA. For a continuation or
revision to an existing award, enter the previously
assigned federal award identifier number. If a
changed/corrected application, enter the federal identifier
in accordance with agency instructions.
Date Received by State:
Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the
state, if applicable.
State Application Identifier:
Leave this field blank. This identifier will be assigned by
the state, if applicable.
Applicant Information:
Enter the following in accordance with agency
instructions:
a. Legal Name: (Required) Enter the legal name of
applicant that will undertake the assistance activity. This
is the organization that has registered with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR). Information on registering
with CCR may be obtained by visiting www.Grants.gov.
b. Employer/Taxpayer Number (EIN/TIN): (Required)
Enter the employer or taxpayer identification number
(EIN or TIN) as assigned by the Internal Revenue
Service. If your organization is not in the US, enter 444444444.
c. Organizational DUNS: (Required) Enter the
organization’s DUNS or DUNS+4 number received from
Dun and Bradstreet. Information on obtaining a DUNS
number may be obtained by visiting www.Grants.gov.
d. Address: Enter address: Street 1 (Required); city
(Required); County/Parish, State (Required if country is
US), Province, Country (Required), 9-digit zip/postal
code (Required if country US).
e. Organizational Unit: Enter the name of the primary
organizational unit, department or division that will
undertake the assistance activity.
f. Name and contact information of person to be
contacted on matters involving this application:
Enter the first and last name (Required); prefix, middle
name, suffix, title. Enter organizational affiliation if
affiliated with an organization other than that in 7.a.
Telephone number and email (Required); fax number.
Type of Applicant: (Required) Select up to three
applicant type(s) in accordance with agency instructions.
or project. Enter in the format: 2 characters state
abbreviation – 3 characters district number, e.g., CA-005
for California 5th district, CA-012 for California 12 district,
NC-103 for North Carolina’s 103 district. If all
congressional districts in a state are affected, enter “all”
for the district number, e.g., MD-all for all congressional
districts in Maryland. If nationwide, i.e. all districts within
all states are affected, enter US-all. If the
program/project is outside the US, enter 00-000. This
optional data element is intended for use only by
programs for which the area(s) affected are likely to be
different than place(s) of performance reported on the
SF-424 Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form.
Attach an additional list of program/project congressional
districts, if needed.
17. Proposed Project Start and End Dates:
(Required) Enter the proposed start date and end date of
the project.
18. Estimated Funding:
(Required) Enter the amount requested, or to be
contributed during the first funding/budget period by each
contributor. Value of in-kind contributions should be
included on appropriate lines, as applicable. If the action
will result in a dollar change to an existing award, indicate
only the amount of the change. For decreases, enclose
the amounts in parentheses.
19. Is Application Subject to Review by State Under
Executive Order 12372 Process?
(Required) Applicants should contact the State Single
Point of Contact (SPOC) for Federal Executive Order
12372 to determine whether the application is subject to
the State intergovernmental review process. Select the
appropriate box. If “a.” is selected, enter the date the
application was submitted to the State
20. Is the Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt?
(Required) Select the appropriate box. This question
applies to the applicant organization, not the person who
signs as the authorized representative. Categories of
federal debt include; but, may not be limited to: delinquent
audit disallowances, loans and taxes. If yes, include an
explanation in an attachment.
21. Authorized Representative: To be signed and dated by
the authorized representative of the applicant
E-10
A. State Government
B. County Government
C. City or Township
Government
D. Special District
Government
E. Regional Organization
F. U.S. Territory or
Possession
G. Independent School
District
H. Public/State Controlled
Institution of Higher
Education
I. Indian/Native American
Tribal Government
(Federally Recognized)
J. Indian/Native American
Tribal Government
(Other than Federally
Recognized)
K. Indian/Native American
Tribally Designated
Organization
L. Public/Indian Housing
Authority
M. Nonprofit
N. Private Institution of
Higher Education
O. Individual
P. For-Profit Organization
(Other than Small
Business)
Q. Small Business
R. Hispanic-serving
Institution
S. Historically Black
Colleges and
Universities (HBCUs)
T. Tribally Controlled
Colleges and
Universities (TCCUs)
U. Alaska Native and
Native Hawaiian
Serving Institutions
V. Non-US Entity
W. Other (specify)
E-11
organization. Enter the first and last name (Required);
prefix, middle name, suffix. Enter title, telephone number,
email (Required); and fax number. A copy of the
governing body’s authorization for you to sign this
application as the official representative must be on file in
the applicant’s office. (Certain federal agencies may
require that this authorization be submitted as part of the
application.)
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
1. Project Director:
Name:
Prefix:
*First Name:
Middle Name:
*Last Name:
Suffix:
Address
*Street1:
Street2:
*City:
County:
*State:
*Zip Code:
*Country:
*Phone Number (give area
code):
Fax Number (give area code):
E-mail Address:
2. Applicant Experience:
Novice Applicant?: Yes
No
3. Human Subjects Research:
Are any research activities involving
human subjects planned at any time
during the proposed project Period?
Are ALL the research activities
proposed designated to be
exempt from the regulations?
Not applicable to this program
Yes
No
Yes
Provide Exemption(s) #:
No
Provide Assurance #, if
available:
Please attach an explanation narrative:
E-12
INSTRUCTIONS FOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR SF 424
the six exemption categories listed in I. B.
“Exemptions.” In addition, follow the
instructions in II. A. “Exempt Research
Narrative” in the attached page entitled
“Definitions for Department of Education
Supplemental Information Form SF 424.”
1. Project Director. Name, address,
telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail
address of the person to be contacted on
matters involving this application.
2. Novice Applicant. Check “Yes” or “No”
only if assistance is being requested under
a program that gives special consideration
to novice applicants. Otherwise, leave
blank.
Check “Yes” if you meet the requirements
for novice applicants specified in the
regulations in 34 CFR 75.225 and included
on the attached page entitled “Definitions for
Department of Education Supplemental
Information for SF 424.” By checking “Yes”
the applicant certifies that it meets these
novice applicant requirements. Check “No”
if you do not meet the requirements for
novice applicants.
3. Human Subjects Research. (See I. A.
“Definitions” in attached page entitled
“Definitions for Department of Education
Supplemental Information for SF 424.”)
If Not Human Subjects Research. Check
“No” if research activities involving human
subjects are not planned at any time during
the proposed project period. The remaining
parts of Item 3 are then not applicable.
If Human Subjects Research. Check “Yes”
if research activities involving human
subjects are planned at any time during the
proposed project period, either at the
applicant organization or at any other
performance site or collaborating institution.
Check “Yes” even if the research is exempt
from the regulations for the protection of
human subjects. (See I. B. “Exemptions” in
attached page entitled “Definitions for
Department of Education Supplemental
Information For SF 424.”)
3a. If Human Subjects Research is Not Exempt
from Human Subjects Regulations. Check
“No” if some or all of the planned research
activities are covered (not exempt). In
addition, follow the instructions in II. B.
“Nonexempt Research Narrative” in the page
entitled “Definitions for Department of
Education Supplemental Information Form
SF 424
3a. Human Subjects Assurance Number. If the
applicant has an approved Federal Wide
(FWA) on file with the Office for Human
Research Protections (OHRP), U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services,
that covers the specific activity, insert the
number in the space provided. If the
applicant does not have an approved
assurance on file with OHRP, enter “None.”
In this case, the applicant, by signature on
the SF-424, is declaring that it will comply
with 34 CFR 97 and proceed to obtain the
human subjects assurance upon request by
the designated ED official. If the application is
recommended/selected for funding, the
designated ED official will request that the
applicant obtain the assurance within 30
days after the specific formal request.
NOTE ABOUT
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL.
3a. If Human Subjects Research is Exempt
from the Human Subjects Regulations.
Check “Yes” if all the research activities
proposed are designated to be exempt from
the regulations. Insert the exemption
number(s) corresponding to one or more of
E-13
ED does not require certification of
Institutional Review Board approval with the
application. However, if an application that
involves non-exempt human subjects
research is recommended/selected for
funding, the designated ED official will
request that the applicant obtain and send
the certification to ED within 30 days after
the formal request.
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 1890-0017. The time required to complete
this information collection is estimated to average between 15 and 45 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 estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write
to:
U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC 20202-4700
If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this
form write directly to:
Joyce I. Mays
Application Control Center
U.S. Department of Education
550 12th St. SW, Room PCP 7076
Washington, DC 20202-4260
E-14
DEFINITIONS FOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR SF 424
(Attachment to Instructions for Supplemental Information for SF 424)
Department’s regulations, and the research
activity will involve use of human subjects, as
defined in the regulations.
DEFINITIONS
Novice Applicant (See 34 CFR 75.225).
—Research
For discretionary grant programs under which
the Secretary gives special consideration to
novice applications, a novice applicant means
any applicant for a grant from ED that—
Has never received a grant or subgrant
under the program from which it seeks
funding;
Has never been a member of a group
application, submitted in accordance with
34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a
grant under the program from which it
seeks funding; and
Has not had an active discretionary grant
from the Federal government in the five
years before the deadline date for
applications under the program. For the
purposes of this requirement, a grant is
active until the end of the grant’s project
or funding period, including any
extensions of those periods that extend
the grantee’s authority to obligate funds.
—Human Subject
In the case of a group application submitted in
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, a
group includes only parties that meet the
requirements listed above.
PROTECTION OF
HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH
I.
The ED Regulations for the Protection of
Human Subjects, Title 34, Code of
Federal Regulations, Part 97, define
research as “a systematic investigation,
including research development, testing
and evaluation, designed to develop or
contribute to generalizable knowledge.” If
an activity follows a deliberate plan whose
purpose is to develop or contribute to
generalizable knowledge it is research.
Activities which meet this definition
constitute research whether or not they
are conducted or supported under a
program that is considered research for
other purposes. For example, some
demonstration and service programs may
include research activities.
Definitions and Exemptions
A. Definitions.
A research activity involves human subjects if
the activity is research, as defined in the
E-15
The regulations define human subject as
“a living individual about whom an
investigator (whether professional or
student) conducting research obtains (1)
data through intervention or interaction
with the individual, or (2) identifiable
private information.” (1) If an activity
involves obtaining information about a
living person by manipulating that person
or that person’s environment, as might
occur when a new instructional technique
is tested, or by communicating or
interacting with the individual, as occurs
with surveys and interviews, the definition
of human subject is met. (2) If an activity
involves obtaining private information
to the subjects’ financial standing,
employability, or reputation. If the
subjects are children, exemption 2
applies only to research involving
educational tests and observations of
public behavior when the investigator(s)
do not participate in the activities being
observed. Exemption 2 does not apply if
children are surveyed or interviewed or
if the research involves observation of
public behavior and the investigator(s)
participate in the activities being
observed. [Children are defined as
persons who have not attained the legal
age for consent to treatments or
procedures involved in the research, under
the applicable law or jurisdiction in which
the research will be conducted.]
about a living person in such a way that
the information can be linked to that
individual (the identity of the subject is or
may be readily determined by the
investigator or associated with the
information), the definition of human
subject is met. [Private information
includes information about behavior that
occurs in a context in which an individual
can reasonably expect that no observation
or recording is taking place, and
information which has been provided for
specific purposes by an individual and
which the individual can reasonably
expect will not be made public (for
example, a school health record).]
B. Exemptions.
Research activities in which the only
involvement of human subjects will be in one
or more of the following six categories of
exemptions are not covered by the
regulations:
(3) Research involving the use of educational
tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude,
achievement), survey procedures,
interview procedures or observation of
public behavior that is not exempt under
section (2) above, if the human subjects
are elected or appointed public officials or
candidates for public office; or federal
statute(s) require(s) without exception that
the confidentiality of the personally
identifiable information will be maintained
throughout the research and thereafter.
(1) Research conducted in established or
commonly accepted educational settings,
involving normal educational practices,
such as (a) research on regular and
special education instructional strategies,
or (b) research on the effectiveness of or
the comparison among instructional
techniques, curricula, or classroom
management methods.
(2) Research involving the use of educational
tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude,
achievement), survey procedures,
interview procedures or observation of
public behavior, unless: (a) information
obtained is recorded in such a manner that
human subjects can be identified, directly
or through identifiers linked to the subjects;
and (b) any disclosure of the human
subjects’ responses outside the research
could reasonably place the subjects at risk
of criminal or civil liability or be damaging
(4) Research involving the collection or study
of existing data, documents, records,
pathological specimens, or diagnostic
specimens, if these sources are publicly
available or if the information is recorded
by the investigator in a manner that
subjects cannot be identified, directly or
through identifiers linked to the subjects.
(5) Research and demonstration projects
which are conducted by or subject to the
approval of department or agency heads,
and which are designed to study,
evaluate, or otherwise examine: (a) public
E-16
benefit or service programs; (b)
procedures for obtaining benefits or
services under those programs; (c)
possible changes in or alternatives to
those programs or procedures; or (d)
possible changes in methods or levels of
payment for benefits or services under
those programs.
designated exemption(s) are appropriate.
The narrative must be succinct.
B. Nonexempt Research Narrative.
(6) Taste and food quality evaluation and
consumer acceptance studies, (a) if
wholesome foods without additives are
consumed or (b) if a food is consumed
that contains a food ingredient at or below
the level and for a use found to be safe, or
agricultural chemical or environmental
contaminant at or below the level found to
be safe, by the Food and Drug
Administration or approved by the
Environmental Protection Agency or the
Food Safety and Inspection Service of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
II. Instructions for Exempt and
Nonexempt Human Subjects Research
Narratives
If the applicant marked “Yes” for Item 3 of
Department of Education Supplemental
Information for SF 424, the applicant must
provide a human subjects “exempt research”
or “nonexempt research” narrative. Insert the
narrative(s) in the space provided. If you have
multiple projects and need to provide more
than one narrative, be sure to label each set
of responses as to the project they address.
A. Exempt Research Narrative.
If you marked “Yes” for item 3 a. and
designated exemption numbers(s),
provide the “exempt research” narrative.
The narrative must contain sufficient
information about the involvement of
human subjects in the proposed research
to allow a determination by ED that the
If you marked “No” for item 3 a. you must
provide the “nonexempt research”
narrative. The narrative must address the
following seven points. Although no
specific page limitation applies to this
section of the application, be succinct.
(1) Human Subjects Involvement and
Characteristics: Provide a detailed
description of the proposed
involvement of human subjects.
Describe the characteristics of the
subject population, including their
anticipated number, age range, and
health status. Identify the criteria for
inclusion or exclusion of any
subpopulation. Explain the rationale
for the involvement of special classes
of subjects, such as children, children
with disabilities, adults with disabilities,
persons with mental disabilities,
pregnant women, prisoners,
institutionalized individuals, or others
who are likely to be vulnerable
(2) Sources of Materials: Identify the
sources of research material obtained
from individually identifiable living
human subjects in the form of
specimens, records, or data. Indicate
whether the material or data will be
obtained specifically for research
purposes or whether use will be made
of existing specimens, records, or
data.
(3) Recruitment and Informed Consent:
Describe plans for the recruitment of
subjects and the consent procedures
to be followed. Include the
circumstances under which consent
will be sought and obtained, who will
E-17
seek it, the nature of the information to
be provided to prospective subjects,
and the method of documenting
consent. State if the Institutional
Review Board (IRB) has authorized a
modification or waiver of the elements
of consent or the requirement for
documentation of consent.
(4) Potential Risks: Describe potential
risks (physical, psychological, social,
legal, or other) and assess their
likelihood and seriousness. Where
appropriate, describe alternative
treatments and procedures that might
be advantageous to the subjects.
(7) Collaborating Site(s): If research
involving human subjects will take
place at collaborating site(s) or other
performance site(s), name the sites
and briefly describe their involvement
or role in the research.
Copies of the Department of Education’s
Regulations for the Protection of Human
Subjects, 34 CFR Part 97 and other pertinent
materials on the protection of human subjects
in research are available from:
Grants Policy and Oversight Staff
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC 20202-4250
(5) Protection Against Risk: Describe
the procedures for protecting against
or minimizing potential risks, including
risks to confidentiality, and assess
their likely effectiveness. Where
appropriate, discuss provisions for
ensuring necessary medical or
professional intervention in the event
of adverse effects to the subjects.
Also, where appropriate, describe the
provisions for monitoring the data
collected to ensure the safety of the
subjects.
Telephone: 202-245-6120
and on the U.S. Department of Education’s
Protection of Human Subjects in Research
Web Site:
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.
html
NOTE: The State Applicant Identifier on the
SF 424 is for State Use only. Please
complete it on the OMB Standard 424
in the upper right corner of the form (if
applicable).
(6) Importance of the Knowledge to be
Gained: Discuss the importance of the
knowledge gained or to be gained as a
result of the proposed research.
Discuss why the risks to subjects are
reasonable in relation to the
anticipated benefits to subjects and in
relation to the importance of the
knowledge that may reasonably be
expected to result.
E-18
PART II: BUDGET INFORMATION (FORM 524)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
BUDGET INFORMATION
NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS
tution/Organization:
dget Categories
OMB Control Numb
Expiration Dat
Applicants requesting funding for only one year should complete the column under "Project Year 1." Applic
requesting funding for multi-year grants should complete all applicable columns. Please read all instruction
completing form.
SECTION A—BUDGET SUMMARY
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FUNDS
Project Year 1
(a)
Project Year 2
(b)
Project Year 3
(c)
Project Year 4
(d)
Project Year 5
(e)
T
efits
l
on
t Costs (lines 1-8)
osts*
tipends
s (lines 9-11)
Information (To Be Completed by Your Business Office):
uesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, please answer the following questions:
ave an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by the Federal government? ____Yes ____ No
ase provide the following information:
overed by the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: From: ___/___/______ To: ___/___/______ (mm/dd/yyyy)
g Federal agency: ____ ED ____ Other (please specify): __________________________ The Indirect Cost Rate is __%
icted Rate Programs (check one) — Are you using a restricted indirect cost rate that:
uded in your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement? or __ Complies with 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2)? The Restricted Indirect Cost Rate is __%
not have an an approved indirect cost rate agreement, do you want to use the temporary rate of 10% of budgeted salaries and wages? ____Yes ____No. If yes
osed indirect cost rate agreement within 90 days after the date your grant is awarded, as required by 34 CFR § 75.560.
cted Rate Programs (check one) -- Are you using a restricted indirect cost rate that:
d in your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement? Or ___ Complies with 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2)? The Restricted Indirect Cost Rate is _________%.
nstitution/Organization:
dget Categories
Applicants requesting funding for only one year should complete the column under "Project Y
Applicants requesting funding for multi-year grants should complete all applicable columns.
Please read all instructions before completing form.
SECTION B—BUDGET SUMMARY
NON-FEDERAL FUNDS
Project Year 1
(a)
Project Year 2
(b)
Project Year 3
(c)
nnel
Benefits
E-19
Project Year 4
(d)
Project Year 5
(e)
T
ment
es
ctual
uction
Direct Costs
1-8)
ct Costs
ng Stipends
Costs
9-11)
SECTION C—BUDGET NARRATIVE
(see instructions)
E-20
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ED FORM 524
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
This form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of Education (ED) discretionary grant
programs. Unless directed otherwise, provide the same budget information for each year of the
multi-year funding request. Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached. You
may access the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, 34 CFR 74 – 86 and 9799, on ED’s website at:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html. You may access requirements from 2 CFR
200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards” cited within these instructions at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/12/26/201330465/uniform-administrative-requirements-cost-principles-and-audit-requirements-for-federalawards.
You must consult with your Business Office prior to submitting this form.
SECTION A: BUDGET SUMMARY—U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FUNDS
All applicants must complete Section A and provide a breakdown by the applicable budget
categories shown in lines 1-11.
Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year for which funding is requested, show the total
amount requested for each applicable budget category.
Lines 1-11, column (f):
Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If funding is
requested for only one project year, leave this column blank.
Line 12, columns (a)-(e):
Show the total budget request for each project year for which funding
is requested.
Line 12, column (f):
Show the total amount requested for all project years. If funding is
requested for only one year, leave this space blank.
Indirect Cost Information:
If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this
information is to be completed by your Business Office.
Indicate whether or not your organization has an Indirect Cost Rate
Agreement that was approved by the Federal government.
(1) If you checked “no,” ED generally will authorize grantees to use a
temporary rate of 10 percent of budgeted salaries and wages
subject to the following limitations:
(a) The grantee must submit an indirect cost proposal to its
cognizant agency within 90 days after ED issues a grant award
notification; and
(b) If after the 90-day period, the grantee has not submitted an
indirect cost proposal to its cognizant agency, the grantee may
not charge its grant for indirect costs until it has negotiated an
indirect cost rate agreement with its cognizant agency.
(2) If you checked “yes” in (1), indicate in (2) the beginning and
ending dates covered by the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. In
addition, indicate whether ED or another Federal agency (Other)
E-21
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
issued the approved agreement. If you check “Other,” specify the
name of the Federal agency that issued the approved agreement.
(3) If you are applying for a grant under a Restricted Rate Program
(34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563), indicate whether you are using a
restricted indirect cost rate that is included on your approved
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or whether you are using a
restricted indirect cost rate that complies with 34 CFR
76.564(c)(2). Note: State or local government agencies may not
use the provision for a restricted indirect cost rate specified in 34
CFR 76.564(c)(2). Check only one response. Leave blank, if this
item is not applicable.
SECTION B: BUDGET SUMMARY—NON-FEDERAL FUNDS
If you are required to provide or volunteer to provide cost-sharing or matching funds or other
non-Federal resources to the project, these should be shown for each applicable budget
category on lines 1-11 of Section B.
Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year, for which matching funds or other
contributions are provided, show the total contribution for each
applicable budget category.
Lines 1-11, column (f):
Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If non-Federal
contributions are provided for only one year, leave this column
blank.
Line 12, columns (a)-(e):
Show the total matching or other contribution for each project
year.
Line 12, column (f):
Show the total amount to be contributed for all years of the multiyear project. If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one
year, leave this space blank.
SECTION C: BUDGET NARRATIVE
[Attach separate sheet(s)] Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if
attached.
1. Provide an itemized budget breakdown, and justification by project year, for each budget
category listed in Sections A and B. For grant projects that will be divided into two or more
separately budgeted major activities or sub-projects, show for each budget category of a
project year the breakdown of the specific expenses attributable to each sub-project or
activity.
2. For non-Federal funds or resources listed in Section B that are used to meet a cost-sharing
or matching requirement or provided as a voluntary cost-sharing or matching commitment,
you must include:
a. The specific costs or contributions by budget category;
b. The source of the costs or contributions; and
c. In the case of third-party in-kind contributions, a description of how the value was
determined for the donated or contributed goods or services.
E-22
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
[Please review ED’s general cost sharing and matching regulations, which include specific
limitations, in 34 CFR 74.23, applicable to non-governmental entities, and 80.24, applicable
to governments, and the applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cost
principles for your entity type regarding donations, capital assets, depreciation and use
allowances. OMB cost principle circulars are available on OMB’s website at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/index.html]
3. If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are
calculated.
4. If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this information is to be
completed by your Business Office. Specify the estimated amount of the base to which the
indirect cost rate is applied and the total indirect expense. Depending on the grant program
to which you are applying and/or your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, some direct
cost budget categories in your grant application budget may not be included in the base and
multiplied by your indirect cost rate. For example, you must multiply the indirect cost rates of
“Training grants" (34 CFR 75.562) and grants under programs with “Supplement not
Supplant” requirements ("Restricted Rate" programs) by a “modified total direct cost”
(MTDC) base (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563). Please indicate which costs are included and
which costs are excluded from the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied.
When calculating indirect costs (line 10) for "Training grants" or grants under "Restricted
Rate" programs, you must refer to the information and examples on ED’s Web site at:
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
You may also contact 202-377-3838 for additional information regarding calculating indirect
cost rates or general indirect cost rate information.
Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.
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 1894-0008. The time required to complete
this information collection is estimated to vary from 13 to 22 hours per response, with an
average of 17.5 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing
data sources, 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
Washington, DC 20202
E-23
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
PART III: APPLICATION NARRATIVE
This narrative section of the application requires applicants to address the selection criteria that
will be used by reviewers in evaluating individual applications. Please refer to the “Selection
Criteria and Format” sections in this package for the competition to which you wish to submit an
application.
Also, all of the competitions covered by this package have page limitations for the application
narrative. Please refer to the “Page Limits” information for the competition to which you wish to
submit an application.
E-24
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
PART IV: ASSURANCES AND CERTIFICATIONS
ASSURANCES—NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send
comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork
Reduction Project (0348-0040), Washington, DC 20503
PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE OF
MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE
SPONSORING AGENCY.
Note: Certain of these assurances may not be applicable to your project or program. If you
have questions, please contact the awarding agency. Further, certain Federal awarding
agencies may require applicants to certify to additional assurances. If such is the case,
you will be notified.
As the duly authorized representative of the applicant I certify that the applicant:
1.
Has the legal authority to apply for Federal
assistance, and the institutional, managerial and
financial capability (including funds sufficient to pay
the non-Federal share of project cost) to ensure
proper planning, management, and completion of
the project described in this application.
2.
Will give the awarding agency, the Comptroller
General of the United States, and if appropriate, the
State, through any authorized representative,
access to and the right to examine all records,
books, papers, or documents related to the award;
and will establish a proper accounting system in
accordance with generally accepted accounting
standards or agency directives.
3.
Will establish safeguards to prohibit employees from
using their positions for a purpose that constitutes or
presents the appearance of personal or
organizational conflict of interest, or personal gain.
4.
Will initiate and complete the work within the
applicable time frame after receipt of approval of
the awarding agency.
5.
Will comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel
Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. §§4728-4763) relating to
prescribed standards for merit systems for
programs funded under one of the 19 statutes or
regulations specified in Appendix A of OPM's
Standards for a Merit System of Personnel
Administration (5 C.F.R. 900, Subpart F).
6.
of race, color or national origin; (b) Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20
U.S.C. §§1681-1683, and 1685-1686), which
prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; (c)
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended (29 U.S.C. §794), which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of handicaps; (d) the
Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (42
U.S.C. §§ 6101-6107), which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of age; (e) the Drug
Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92255), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on
the basis of drug abuse; (f) the Comprehensive
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention,
Treatment and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91616), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on
the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism; (g) §§ 523
and 527 of the Public Health Service Act of 1912
(42 U.S.C. §§ 290 dd-3 and 290 ee 3), as
amended, relating to confidentiality of alcohol and
drug abuse patient records; (h) Title VIII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.), as
amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the sale,
rental or financing of housing; (i) any other
nondiscrimination provisions in the specific
statute(s) under which application for Federal
assistance is being made; and (j) the requirements
of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may
apply to the application.
7.
Will comply with all Federal statutes relating to
nondiscrimination. These include but are not limited
to: (a) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P.L.
88-352) which prohibits discrimination on the basis
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Will comply, or has already complied, with the
requirements of Titles II and III of the uniform
Relocation Assistance and Real Property
Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-646),
which provide for fair and equitable treatment of
persons displaced or whose property is acquired as
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
a result of Federal or federally assisted programs.
These requirements apply to all interests in real
property acquired for project purposes regardless of
Federal participation in purchases.
8.
Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of
the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. §§1501-1508 and 73247326) which limit the political activities of
employees whose principal employment activities
are funded in whole or in part with Federal funds.
9.
Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of
the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. §§276a to 276a-7),
the Copeland Act (40 U.S.C. §276c and 18 U.S.C.
§§874) and the Contract Work Hours and Safety
Standards Act (40 U.S.C. §§ 327-333), regarding
labor standards for federally assisted
construction subagreements.
10. Will comply, if applicable, with flood insurance
purchase requirements of Section 102(a) of the
Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-234)
which requires recipients in a special flood hazard
area to participate in the program and to purchase
flood insurance if the total cost of insurable
construction and acquisition is $10,000 or more.
11. Will comply with environmental standards which
may be prescribed pursuant to the following: (a)
institution of environmental quality control
measures under the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and Executive Order (EO)
11514; (b) notification of violating facilities pursuant
to EO 11738; (c) protection of wetlands pursuant to
EO 11990; (d) evaluation of flood hazards in
floodplains in accordance with EO 11988; (e)
assurance of project consistency with the approved
State management program developed under the
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C.
§§1451 et seq); (f) conformity of Federal actions to
State (Clear Air) Implementation Plans under
Section 176(c) of the Clear Air Act of 1955, as
amended (42 U.S.C. §§7401 et seq.); (g) protection
of underground sources of drinking water under the
Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended,
(P.L. 93-523); and (h) protection of endangered
species under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended, (P.L. 93-205).
12 Will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of
1968 (16 U.S.C. §§1721 et seq.) related to
protecting components or potential components of
the national wild and scenic rivers system.
13. Will assist the awarding agency in assuring
compliance with Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16
U.S.C. §470), EO 11593 (identification and
protection of historic properties), and the
Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of
1974 (16 U.S.C. §§469a-1 et seq.).
14. Will comply with P.L. 93-348 regarding the
protection of human subjects involved in research,
development, and related activities supported by
this award of assistance.
15. Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act
of 1966 (P.L. 89-544, as amended, 7 U.S.C.
§§2131 et seq.) pertaining to the care, handling,
and treatment of warm blooded animals held for
research, teaching, or other activities supported by
this award of assistance.
16. Will comply with the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning
Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. §§4801 et seq.) which
prohibits the use of lead- based paint in
construction or rehabilitation of
residence structures.
17. Will cause to be performed the required financial
and compliance audits in accordance with the
Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and OMB
Circular No. A-133, “Audits of States, Local
Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.”
18. Will comply with all applicable requirements of all
other Federal laws, executive orders, regulations
and policies governing this program.
Standard Form 424B (Rev. 7-97) Back
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICIAL
TITLE
APPLICANT ORGANIZATION
DATE SUBMITTED
OMB Approval No. 0348-0040
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING
CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:
(1) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the
undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee
of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee
of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the
making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal Loan, the entering into of any
cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or
modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan or cooperative agreement.
(2) If any funds other Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person
for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in
connection with this Federal contract, grant, loam or cooperative agreement, the
undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form—LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying
Activities,” in accordance with its instructions.
(3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award
documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants and contracts
under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and
disclose accordingly. This certification is a material representation of fact upon which
reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this
certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section
1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be
subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such
failure.
STATEMENT FOR LOAN GUARANTEES AND LOAN INSURANCE.
The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:
If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to
influence an officer or employee or any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or
employee of Congress or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the undersigned
shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in
accordance with its instructions. Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who
fails to file the required statement shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000
and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.
Applicant’s Organization
Printed Name of Authorized Representative
Printed Title of Authorized Representative
Signature
Date
ED80-0013
08/05
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
Approved by OMB 0348-0046
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES
Complete this form to disclose lobbying activities pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352
(See reverse for public burden disclosure)
1. Type of Federal Action:
a. contract
b. grant
c. cooperative agreement
d. loan
e. loan guarantee
f. loan insurance
2. Status of Federal Action: 3. Report Type:
a. bid/offer/application
a. initial filing
b. initial award
b. material change
c. post-award
For material change only:
Year:
quarter:
Date of last report:
4. Name and Address of Reporting Entity:
Prime
Subawardee
Tier, if Known:
5. If Reporting Entity in No. 4 is
Subawardee,
Enter Name and Address of Prime:
Congressional District, if known:
6. Federal Department/Agency:
7. Federal
Program
Name/Description:
Congressional
District,
if known:
CFDA Number, if applicable:
8. Federal Action Number, if known:
9. Award Amount, if known:
$
10. a. Name and Address of Lobbying
Registrant
(if individual, last name, first name, MI):
10. b. Individuals Performing Services
(including address if different from No.
10a)
(last name, first name, MI):
11. Information requested through this form is
authorized by title 31 U.S.C. Section 1352. This
disclosure of lobbying activities is a material
representation of fact upon which reliance was
placed by the tier above when this transaction
was made or entered into. This disclosure is
required pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352. This
information will be reported to the Congress
semi-annually and will be available for public
inspection. Any person who fails to file the
required disclosure shall be subject to a civil
penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more
than $100,000 for each such failure.
Federal Use Only
Signature: _______________________________
Print Name: ______________________________
Title: ____________________________________
Telephone No.: ___________________________
Date: ____________________________________
Authorized for Local Reproduction
Standard Form — LLL (Rev. 7-97)
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF SF-LLL, DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES
This disclosure form shall be completed by the reporting entity, whether subawardee or prime
Federal recipient, at the initiation or receipt of a covered Federal action, or a material change to a
previous filing, pursuant to title 31 U.S.C. section 1352. The filing of a form is required for each
payment or agreement to make payment to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to
influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of
Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action.
Complete all items that apply for both the initial filing and material change report. Refer to the
implementing guidance published by the Office of Management and Budget for additional
information.
1. Identify the type of covered Federal action
for which lobbying activity is and/or has
been secured to influence the outcome of a
covered Federal action.
7. Enter the Federal program name or
description for the covered Federal action
(item 1). If known, enter the full Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
number for grants, cooperative agreements,
loans, and loan commitments.
2. Identify the status of the covered Federal
action.
8. Enter the most appropriate Federal
identifying number available for the Federal
action identified in item 1 (e.g., Request for
Proposal (RFP) number; Invitations for Bid
(IFB) number; grant announcement number;
the contract, grant, or loan award number;
the application/proposal control number
assigned by the Federal agency). Included
prefixes, e.g., “RFP-DE-90-001.”
3. Identify the appropriate classification of this
report. If this is a follow-up report caused by
a material change to the information
previously reported, enter the year and
quarter in which the change occurred. Enter
the date of the last previously submitted
report by this reporting entity for this
covered Federal action.
4. Enter the full name, address, city, State and
zip code of the reporting entity. Include
Congressional District, if known. Check the
appropriate classification of the reporting
entity that designates if it is, or expects to be,
a prime or subaward recipient. Identify the
tier of the subawardee, e.g., the first
subawardee of the prime is the 1st tier.
Subawards include but are not limited to
subcontracts, subgrants and contract awards
under grants.
5. If the organization filing the report in item 4
checks “Subawardee,” then enter the full
name, address, city, State and zip code of
the prime Federal recipient. Include
Congressional District, if known.
6. Enter the name of the federal agency making
the award or loan commitment. Include at
least one organizational level below agency
name, if known. For example, Department of
Transportation, United States Coast Guard.
9. For a covered Federal action where there
has been an award or loan commitment by
the Federal agency, enter the Federal
amount of the award/loan commitment for
the prime entity identified in item 4 or 5.
10. (a) Enter the full name, address, city, State
and zip code of the lobbying registrant
under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of
1995 engaged by the reporting entity
identified in item 4 to influence the
covered Federal action.
(b) Enter the full names of the individual(s)
performing services, and include full
address if different from 10(a). Enter
Last Name, First Name, and Middle
Initial (MI).
11. The certifying official shall sign and date the
form, print his/her name, title and telephone
number.
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GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, no persons are required to respond to
a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control Number. The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is OMB No. 0348-0046. Public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding
the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions
for reducing this burden, to:
Office of Management and Budget
Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0046)
Washington, DC 20503
E-31
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
DUNS NUMBER INSTRUCTIONS
D-U-N-S NO.
Please provide the applicant's D-U-N-S Number. You can obtain your D-U-N-S Number at no
charge by calling 1-800-333-0505 or by completing a D-U-N-S Number Request Form. The form
can be obtained via the Internet at the following URL:
www.dnb.com
The D-U-N-S Number is a unique nine-digit number that does not convey any information about
the recipient. A built in check digit helps assure the accuracy of the D-U-N-S Number. The ninth
digit of each number is the check digit, which is mathematically related to the other digits. It lets
computer systems determine if a D-U-N-S Number has been entered correctly.
Dun & Bradstreet, a global information services provider, has assigned D-U-N-S numbers to
over 43 million companies worldwide.
E-32
GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE
CFDA 84.327S
GRANT APPLICATION RECEIPT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
If you fail to receive the notification of application within fifteen (15) days from the closing date,
call:
U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center
202-245-6288
GRANT AND CONTRACT FUNDING INFORMATION
The Department of Education provides information about grant and contract opportunities
electronically in several ways:
ED Internet Home Page: www.ed.gov
E-33
| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Title | Fiscal Year 2015 Application for New Grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Technology and Media S |
| Author | EHDSTURDIVANT |
| File Modified | 2017-12-06 |
| File Created | 2017-04-21 |