Grant Applications Under Part D of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Research and Innovation To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities; Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2002 [OSERS]

[Federal Register: June 19, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 118)]
[Notices]
[Page 41791-41799]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19jn02-127]

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Part V

Department of Education

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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant
Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals With
Disabilities Education Act, Research and Innovation To Improve Services
and Results for Children With Disabilities; Notice

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
(FY) 2002.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces closing dates, applicable priorities,
and other information regarding the transmittal of applications for two
priorities in FY 2002 under the Special Education--Research and
Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities Program. This program is authorized by the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended.
Please note that significant dates for the availability and
submission of applications, as well as important fiscal information,
are listed in a table at the end of this notice.

Waiver of Rulemaking

It is generally our practice to offer interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section
661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the rulemaking procedures in the Administrative
Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the priorities in this
notice.

General Requirements

(a) The projects funded under this notice must make positive
efforts to employ and advance in employment in project activities
qualified individuals with disabilities. (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 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
(c) The projects funded under these priorities must budget for a
two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year
of the project.
(d) If a project maintains a Web site, it must include relevant
information and documents in an accessible form.
(e) In a single application an applicant must address only one
target area under Absolute Priority 1 or one focus area under Absolute
Priority 2 in this notice. Under Absolute Priority 1, there are three
broad focus areas with specific target areas under each focus area.
Under Absolute Priority 2, there are four focus areas.
Page Limit: Part III of each application submitted under a priority
in this notice, the application narrative, is where an applicant
addresses the selection criteria that are used by reviewers in
evaluating the application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent
of no more than the number of pages listed under each applicable
priority and in the table at the end of this notice, using the
following standards:
A "page" is 8.5" x 11" (on one side only) with one-
inch margins (top, bottom, and sides).
Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography or references, or the letters of support.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject your application if--
You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

Some of the procedures in these instructions for transmitting
applications differ from those in the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 75.102). Under the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally
offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed
regulations. However, these amendments make procedural changes only and
do not establish new substantive policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined that proposed rulemaking is not
required.

Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications

In FY 2002, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to
expand its pilot project of electronic submission of applications to
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary
grant competitions. Special Education--Research and Innovation to
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities is one of
the programs included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant
under this program, you may submit your application to us in either
electronic or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-APPLICATION, formerly e-GAPS) portion of the
Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS). We request your
participation in this pilot project. We shall continue to evaluate its
success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
If you participate in this e-APPLICATION pilot, please note the
following:
Your participation is voluntary.
You will not receive any additional point value or penalty
because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper format.
You can submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
Within three working days of submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following
these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from the e-APPLICATION system.
2. Make sure that the institution's Authorizing Representative
signs this form.
3. Before faxing this form, submit your electronic application via
the e-APPLICATION system. You will receive an automatic
acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying
number unique to your application).
4. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of ED
424.
5. Fax ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 260-1349.
We may request that you give us original signatures on all
other forms at a later date.
You may access the electronic grant application for the program at:
http://e-grants.ed.gov.
We have included additional information about the e-APPLICATION
pilot project (see Parity Guidelines between Paper and Electronic
Applications) in the application package.

Research and Innovation To Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities [CFDA Number 84.324]

Purpose of Program: To produce, and advance the use of, knowledge
to

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improve educational and early intervention results for infants,
toddlers, and children with disabilities.

Eligible Applicants

Under Absolute Priority 1 and under focus areas 1 and 2 of Absolute
Priority 2, eligible applicants are State educational agencies (SEAs),
local educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education
(IHEs), other public agencies, private nonprofit organizations,
outlying areas, freely associated States, and Indian tribes or tribal
organizations.
For focus area 3 under Absolute Priority 2, eligible applicants are
limited to LEAs, and LEAs in consortia with one or more other LEAs,
IHEs, other public agencies, or other organizations. However, in the
event that the LEA forms a consortium with other organizations, the LEA
must be the applicant and act in a manner consistent with 34 CFR
75.129.
For focus area 4 under Absolute Priority 2, eligible applicants are
limited to SEAs, and SEAs in consortia with one or more LEA, IHE, or
private nonprofit organizations. However, an LEA or SEA must be the
applicant and act in a manner consistent with 34 CFR 75.129.

Note: LEAs are not eligible unless in consortia with SEAs.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) The selection criteria for the
priorities under this program; these criteria are taken from the EDGAR
general selection criteria. The specific selection criteria for each
priority are included in the application package for the applicable
competition.

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

Priority

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet
one of the following priorities:

Absolute Priority 1--Directed Research Projects (84.324D)

This priority supports projects that (1) advance and improve the
knowledge base and (2) improve the practice of professionals, parents,
and others providing early intervention, special education, and related
services. This includes professionals who work with children with
disabilities in regular educational environments and natural
environments.
Under this priority, projects must support innovation, development,
exchange of information, and the transfer of research into knowledge
and practice. Projects must (1) use exceedingly rigorous quantitative
or qualitative research and evaluation methods and (2) communicate
appropriately with target audiences.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $180,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.
Page Limit: The maximum page limit under this priority is 50
double-spaced pages. Standards for the maximum page limit are described
after the "GENERAL REQUIREMENTS" section of this notice.
Also, under this priority, we will fund projects under specific
target areas within the broad focus areas of: (A) Access to Learning;
(B) Accountability and Reform; and (C) Social and Emotional Development
and Intervention. The specific target areas under the three broad focus
areas are as follows:

Focus A--Access to Learning

Target Area (1)--Access to the General Education Curriculum for
Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Background
This target area supports research to increase our understanding of
access to the general education curriculum for students with
significant cognitive disabilities. A project must investigate what
access to the general education curriculum entails and how to provide
that access in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
The barriers and challenges concerning access to the general
education curriculum for students with significant cognitive
disabilities are multifaceted and involve the following:
(A) Professional Development. IHEs are not adequately preparing or
graduating school personnel to work with students with significant
cognitive disabilities in regular school settings. In addition,
recruitment and retention of qualified personnel is a major concern,
and attrition is a big drain on resources.
(B) General Education Curriculum. Some districts have not aligned
their curriculum and instruction to learning standards for grades K-12.
Many special education teachers do not have sufficient content
background to be active partners in the curriculum. In addition, there
is a pervasive lack of family and community involvement in curriculum
development. Differentiated instruction is often nonexistent because
school personnel often do not know how to identify and modify the
curriculum and instruction to produce positive student outcomes by
meeting the needs of diverse learners. This is especially true for
students with significant cognitive disabilities; and
(C) LRE Issues. There are major barriers in providing access to the
general education curriculum including student participation in
statewide assessments when students are in separate sites. Including
students with disabilities in public accountability systems and high
stakes assessments has been described as a major disincentive for (i)
including students with significant cognitive disabilities in inclusive
schools and (ii) providing them access to the general education
curriculum.
Universal design for learning (UDL) holds great promise for
teaching, learning and assessment, and new media technologies to
respond to differences among individual learners. For more information
on UDL, please visit the following Web sites:
Center for Applied Special Technology's (CAST) http://
www.cast.org/udl/
Universal Design for Learning from ERIC/OSEP: http://
www.cec.sped.org/osep/ud-sec3.html
A Curriculum Every Student Can Use: Design Principles for
Student Access at: http://www.cec.sped.org/osep/udesign.html
Target Area
A project funded under this target area must--
(a) Describe and define access to the general education curriculum
for students with significant cognitive disabilities, including student
participation, student progress, and location of service;
(b) Analyze and address how to meet the barriers and challenges
related to professional development, the general education curriculum,
and LRE issues, such as the challenges identified in the background
section for this target area;
(c) Create partnerships that include both an SEA and an LEA to
design, implement, evaluate, and disseminate high quality access to the
general education curriculum in inclusive school environments; and
(d) Employ these six key features in designing, implementing,
evaluating, and disseminating access:
Family, community and school partnerships.
Performance standards for students.
Curricula and established accountability systems that are
aligned with State initiatives.
School accountability for all students.
Ongoing professional development systems.

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Universal design for learning; and
(e) Increase our understanding of access to the general education
curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities by (1)
investigating what access to the general education curriculum entails,
and how to provide it in the LRE, and (2) documenting student results
using quantitative and qualitative data.

Target Area (2)--Instructional Interventions and Results for Children
With Disabilities

Background
The President's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) initiative is based on
four principles: accountability for results, use of scientifically
based methods, expansion of local flexibility, and empowerment of
parents and students. Successful implementation of IDEA requires the
consistent application of these principles.
With over 70 percent of children with disabilities spending over 40
percent of their school day in regular classrooms (U.S. Department of
Education, 2000), both regular and special education teachers need
relevant and accessible information about how students with
disabilities learn curriculum and learn about accommodations, supports,
and resources.
Research is needed to describe, test, and validate instructional
practices that have the potential for generating positive results for
children with disabilities as they strive to meet State and local
standards and performance goals set for all students, especially in
high schools.
Core courses such as Algebra I, foreign languages, and science are
considered "gateway courses," which are critical to students who plan
to earn a high school diploma and pursue transition goals that include
postsecondary education. A better understanding of pedagogy, the use of
universal design, and the learning needs of students with disabilities
in certain core courses: (1) Would increase the rate of students with
disabilities who graduate with a high school diploma; and (2) would
improve the learning opportunities for all students who have special
learning needs.
Target Area
A project supported under this target area must investigate issues
related to providing instruction in the general education curriculum
for children with disabilities in high school level courses (those
earning Carnegie Units toward high school graduation with a diploma) in
Algebra I, foreign language, or science. These issues must include, but
are not limited to, the following:
(a) The relationship of universally designed instruction and
curriculum to results for students with disabilities in Algebra I,
foreign language, or science, including measures linked to passing high
school exams and obtaining a diploma.
(b) Contextual variables that influence access to the general
education curriculum for students with disabilities, including, for
example, classroom design; the relative roles of regular educators and
special educators; groupings or management strategies, curricular
design, delivery, or materials; and family and staff interaction.
(c) Universally designed instructional and curricular approaches
that ensure that students with disabilities have access to the general
education curriculum in these core courses.

Target Area (3)--Pre-Literacy and Early Literacy for Infants, Toddlers,
and Other Young Children with Visual Impairments Including Blindness

Background
Current research documents the link between the development of pre-
literacy and early literacy skills for infants, toddlers, and other
young children and subsequent reading and academic success. The
development of pre-literacy and early literacy skills for young
children with visual impairments, including blindness, poses additional
challenges for families and professionals.
Target Area
A project funded under this target area must investigate issues and
promising practices in the development of pre-literacy and early
literacy skills for young children with visual impairments. The project
must address ages birth to 3, 3 through 6 years, or the full age range
of birth through 6 years. The project must address, but is not limited
to, the following issues:
(1) Assessment of the needs of young children with visual
impairments as those needs relate to the development of pre-literacy
and early literacy skills.
(2) Use of new or innovative intervention strategies to promote
pre-literacy and early literacy skills for all young children,
including those who have visual impairments.
(3) Integration of intervention strategies in communication and
other developmental domains with pre-literacy and early literacy
intervention methods for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with
visual impairments.
(4) For the development of pre-literacy and early literacy skills,
access to and use of new and developing technologies with young
children with visual impairments.

Focus B--Accountability and Reform

Target Area (1)--Universal Design of Assessments

Background
This target area supports research on universal design of
assessments for use with students with disabilities. The term
"universally designed assessments" refers to large-scale assessments
that are designed to be accessible and valid for the widest possible
range of students. Federal laws call for the participation of students
with disabilities in State and districtwide assessments, with
accommodations and alternate assessments provided as needed. Universal
design of assessments will not eliminate the need for accommodations or
alternate assessments. However, it will expand the range of students
who can participate in general assessments, reduce the need for
accommodations, and minimize problems of comparability and validity of
scores if accommodations are used.
Universal design has implications for all phases of test
development, including definition of constructs, formulation of test
specifications, development of items, test tryouts and analysis, test
revision, and item bias review.
Information on universal design of assessments is available on the
Web site of the National Center on Educational Outcomes: http://
www.coled.umn.edu/nceo/
Target Areas
A project funded under this target area must conduct research on
one or both of the following:
(1) Development and testing of techniques for universal design of
assessments as applied to students with disabilities.
(2) Demonstration of the impact of universal design of assessments
on the participation and performance of students with disabilities and
on the validity of their scores.

Target Area (2)--Charter Schools and Students With Disabilities

Background
This target area supports research specific to students with
disabilities in charter schools. A study of data collected in 1997 and
1998 indicates that students with disabilities are served in charter
schools, but the types of disabilities and the services provided

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vary considerably by specific school and curricular focus. The study is
available at the following Web site: http://www.uscharterschools.org/
pub/uscs__docs/fr/sped__natl__study.htm
National surveys of charter schools supported by the U.S.
Department of Education and an evaluation of the U.S. Public Charter
Schools Programs indicate that (1) students with disabilities are well
represented in charter schools, and (2) even charter schools not
specifically designed for students with special needs attract a large
proportion of students with disabilities. These surveys and assessments
are available at the following Web sites: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/
charter4thyear/ http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/chartschools/
index.html
Additionally, small scale research by the Department's Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP) and recently completed by the
National Association of State Directors of Special Education reinforces
the important role of State charter school policies and State special
education policies in the ability of charter schools to meet their
obligations under IDEA. This research is available at the following Web
site: http://www.nasdse.org/project__search__doc2.pdf
Target Area
A project supported under this target area must investigate one or
more of the following issues related to charter schools and students
with disabilities:
(1) How and why students with disabilities and their parents choose
charter schools.
(2) How and why charter schools attract students with disabilities
to their schools.
(3) Policies and practices used by charter schools to determine the
initial and continued eligibility of students for special education and
related services.
(4)(i) The relationship among State charter school legislation,
authorizing entities and procedures, appeal procedures, special
education rules or regulations, and other State level policies; and
(ii) how these policies affect the access to special education and
related services and delivery of services to students with disabilities
in charter schools.
(5) Differences and similarities between newly established or
converted charter schools and longer-established charter schools in
terms of access and services to students with disabilities.
(6) The role of special education and related services in the
different phases of developing and operating charter schools (i.e.,
authorization, start-up, oversight and supervision, review and
renewal).
Because data on students with disabilities in the wide variety of
charter schools is needed, we encourage proposals for projects that
combine case study and survey approaches.

Target Area (3) "--Accountability, Reform, and Results for Children
With Disabilities

Background
IDEA requires a strong emphasis on public accountability for
improved results for students with disabilities. Given that achievement
levels and graduation rates of students with disabilities in high
schools are at levels significantly lower than for their nondisabled
peers, it is critical that we study schoolwide approaches to the
effective education of students with disabilities in high schools, as
well as those effective practices designed to meet the individual needs
of students with disabilities.
Target Area
A project funded under this target area must--
(1) Identify, describe, and validate schoolwide approaches that
involve significant collaboration, such as those approaches used in
nationally recognized high schools that consistently support and
produce good results for students with disabilities; and
(b) Address the following issues:
(1) How special education services are delivered in high-performing
high schools.
(2) How students with disabilities are attaining their goals in the
general education curriculum in high performing high schools.
(3) How special education and regular education programs have
coordinated the educational services for students with disabilities.
(4) How these three issues and other issues are related to positive
results for students with disabilities.
The Assistant Secretary encourages applications that emphasize
accountability for results, expand local flexibility, and increase
empowerment of parents and students.

Focus (C)--Social and Emotional Development and Intervention

Target Area (1)--Research on Early Childhood Mental Health

Background
The elements of early intervention practice that support the social
and emotional development of young children with or at risk of
disabilities, are as important as the elements that support linguistic
and cognitive development.
Target Area
A project funded under this target area must--
(a) Conduct research to document effective practices for
identifying and addressing the affective and behavioral problems of
young children with or at risk of disabilities.
(b) Focus on the mental health of infants and toddlers (0-2 years
old), or preschoolers (3-5 years old) or both, who are receiving
services under the part C or part B programs of IDEA.
(c) Describe steps the applicant will take to ensure that it will
disseminate findings from its research to research and training centers
(RTCs) funded by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services. These centers include the two children's mental health
rehabilitative research and training centers (RRTCs) funded by the
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
and the RTCs funded by OSEP on the "Development of Infants, Toddlers,
and Preschoolers with or At Risk of Disabilities" and "Evidence-Based
Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior."

Target Area (2)--Assessing Self-Determination Skills

Background
Self-determination has been identified as an important outcome of
the educational process for children with disabilities. Research to
date has not addressed: (1) The critical components of the cultural
issues involved with providing self-determination skills to children
with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds; (2) the self-determination needs of children in elementary
schools; and (3) the development of measures for self-determination
skills.
Target Area
A project funded under this target area must pursue research that
focuses on one of the following issues:
(a) Cultural variables that influence the development and
implementation of self-determination skills in children with
disabilities, including children from culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds. These may include (1) variables that promote the
development of effective self-determination skills; and (2) the role of
families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

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(b) The development of benchmarks, policies, and procedures to
monitor and report the progress of students in self-determination
skills. These skills may include, for example, leadership, problem
solving, goal setting and self advocacy.
(c) The identification of: (1) Developmentally appropriate self-
determination skills for young children with disabilities; and (2)
effective teaching strategies and curricula directed to elementary-
school-aged students. These teaching strategies and curricula should be
relevant to families, program implementers, and policymakers at the
community, district, building, and classroom levels. The strategies and
curricula may also include information on how to promote the importance
of early self-determination for the later success of children with
disabilities.

Target Area (3)--Implementation of Schoolwide Positive Behavior
Supports in High School

Background
Since the inclusion of the term positive behavior support in the
reauthorization of IDEA in 1997, much attention has been directed at
implementing schoolwide systems of positive behavior support. The
concept has come to mean a broad range of systemic and individualized
strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while
preventing challenging behavior of all students. This systemic emphasis
is based on a three-tier prevention model that provides: primary
interventions--interventions for all students; secondary
interventions--either targeted interventions or interventions for
targeted small groups of children; and a third level of interventions--
very intensive, individualized interventions for a small number of
children.
Throughout the past four years, schoolwide positive behavior
support models, developed with OSEP support, have been implemented at
the school, district, and State levels and yielded positive results
among elementary and middle school students. Success in high schools
has been less evident. Thus, additional research is needed to determine
(1) the barriers and challenges of implementing schoolwide positive
behavior support in high schools, and (2) the critical components
needed to duplicate success at this level.
Target Area
A project supported under this target area must address the
following:
(a) The critical features that make high schools different from
middle schools.
(b) The strategies and systemic components needed to implement the
three-tier schoolwide approach to positive behavior support at the high
school level.
(c) The critical features needed to effectively implement each of
the three tiers.
(d) The relationship between schoolwide positive behavior support
and academic achievement.
The Secretary encourages projects to address (1) the types and
patterns of behavioral problems exhibited in high schools; and (2) the
use of alternative settings and more restrictive placements in high
schools to address these problems.

Absolute Priority 2--Model Demonstration Projects for Children with
Disabilities (84.324T)

This priority supports model demonstration projects that develop,
implement, evaluate, and disseminate new or improved approaches for
providing early intervention, special education, and related services.
These are services provided to children with disabilities, ages birth
through 21.
Projects supported under this priority are expected to be major
contributors of models or components of models for service providers
and for outreach projects funded under IDEA.

Requirements for all Model Demonstration Projects

(a) A model demonstration project funded under this priority must--
(1) Use exceedingly rigorous quantitative or qualitative evaluation
methods and data;
(2) Evaluate the model by using multiple measures of results to
determine the effectiveness of the model and its components or
strategies;
(3) Produce detailed procedures and materials to enable others to
replicate the model; and
(4) Communicate appropriately with target audiences through means
such as special education technical assistance providers and
disseminators, professional journals and other publications, conference
presentations, or a Web site.
(b) Federal financial participation for a project funded under this
priority will not exceed 90 percent of the total annual costs of the
project (see section 661(f)(2)(A) of IDEA).
(c) In addition to the annual two-day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, DC (as specified in paragraph (c) of the GENERAL
REQUIREMENTS section of this notice), a project must budget for another
annual meeting in Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal
project officer and the other projects funded under this priority, to
share information, and to discuss issues related to development of a
model, evaluation, and project implementation.
Maximum Award for All Model Demonstration Projects: We will reject
any application that proposes a budget exceeding $180,000 (exclusive of
any matching funds) for a single budget period of 12 months.
Page Limits for All Model Demonstration Projects: The maximum page
limit for this priority is 50 double-spaced pages. Standards for the
maximum page limit are described after the GENERAL REQUIREMENTS section
of this notice.
Under this absolute priority, we will fund projects in the
following focus areas only:

Focus Area 1--Model Demonstration Projects To Support Quality
Educational and Transition and Aftercare Programs in the Justice
System for Youth with Disabilities

Background
This focus area supports model projects that demonstrate new or
innovative models for youth in the justice system.
Ensuring that youth acquire educational skills is one of the most
effective approaches to reducing recidivism. Yet, students in jails,
detention centers, and short-term facilities receive considerably
poorer instruction and less time in instruction.
Transition and aftercare services are the most neglected components
in dealing with this group of children. The primary problem stems from
the lack of communication between multiple service agencies and an
overall lack of community support for delinquent youths. This critical
transition should involve a seamless system of care, identifying the
needs and services to be provided by multiple agencies if needed to
ensure successful reintegration and after care support.
Focus Area
A model funded under this focus area must address a comprehensive
coordinated system to facilitate the successful reintegration of youth
from a facility back into his or her home school.
A model must address one of the following: (1) The provision of
quality special education services within facilities; or (2) the
provision of quality

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transition and aftercare services to support the reintegration of youth
with disabilities into their home schools and communities.
A model addressing the provision of special education services must
address, but is not limited to, one or more of the following:
(a) The requirements of IDEA as they apply to youth in facilities,
including: least restrictive environment, access to the general
education curriculum, and implementation of Individualized Education
Programs (IEPs).
(b) Immediate screening of each youth's present levels of
performance and services needed while in the facility.
(c) Efficient transfer of IEP records.
(d) Coordination with each youth's home school on the current IEP
and processes for ensuring the transfer to the home school of credit,
and acceptance of work completed by the youth within the facility.
(e) An identification process, if needed, for a youth with
disabilities who has previously not been identified before entering the
facility.
(f) Provision of needed remediation and instruction in basic skills
that has been shown to be effective by scientifically based research,
especially in reading.
A model addressing transition and aftercare must address, but is
not limited to, one or more of the following:
(a) The requirements of IDEA as they apply to youth in facilities,
including: least restrictive environment, access to the general
education curriculum, and implementation of IEPs.
(b) Efficient transfer of each youth's IEP records and educational
performance and progress while the youth is in in the facility.
(c) Coordination with each youth's home school on the current IEP
and processes for ensuring the transfer to the home school for credit,
and acceptance of work completed by the youth within the facility.
(d) Mentoring programs and supportive transition networks to ensure
the successful reintegration of the youth into the home school and
community.
(e) Parental involvement.
OSEP intends to fund an equal number of models in (1) the provision
of special education services and (2) the provision of transition and
aftercare.

Focus Area 2--Strengthening Childcare Infrastructures for Infants,
Toddlers, and Preschoolers With Disabilities From Underserved
Families and Communities

Background
This focus area supports projects that demonstrate new or
innovative childcare models that address the developmental needs of
infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities from underserved
families and communities.
Focus Area
A project funded under this focus must--
(a) Identify and support children with disabilities from
underserved families and communities.
(b) Address the special and individualized intervention needs of
young children without removing the children from inclusive settings
and typical experiences.
(c) In identifying and addressing challenges that contribute to the
uneven provision of services, incorporate multiple formal and informal
service delivery systems that have evolved in a community over the
years.
(d) Address, under this focus area, one or more of the following
issues:
(1) The lack of available mental health services for children under
age 6.
(2) Adverse home or community conditions.
(3) Cultural differences between service providers and families.
(4) Differences between what childcare programs offer and what
families of young children with disabilities or at-risk for
disabilities need or want.
(5) Children living with mentally ill family members.
(6) Children with complex medical conditions.
(7) Children in families dealing with poverty, substance abuse, or
violence;
(e) Measure the effectiveness of models with regard to children's
development by assessing multiple influences longitudinally in
reporting on the impact of the variables of community, family, and
individual intervention on child development. Measures of a child's
competence must include observation of a child's underlying functioning
over time with regard to the interventions the child has received.
(f) Examine whether the proposed interventions were implemented as
planned, whether the participants for whom the program is designed
actually participated, and how much the program costs.
A project funded under this focus area must schedule (1) one trip
annually to Washington, DC (as specified in paragraph (c) of the
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS section of this notice), (2) one trip annually to
Washington, DC (as specified in the Requirements for All Demonstration
Projects section of this priority), and (3) an additional meeting, to
take place at the beginning of year one, to identify collaborations
across projects under this focus area that can result in increased
sample sizes and planned variations of critical variables,
interventions, and outcomes.

Focus Area 3--Agency Participation in Transition

Background
This focus area supports model projects that demonstrate (1) new or
improved approaches to participation in transition by multiple systems
and (2) successful interagency collaboration in planning transition
from school to work, postsecondary education, or other post-school
activities.
Focus Area
A project funded under this focus area must--
(a) Involve collaboration between multiple systems, such as
education; vocational rehabilitation; workforce development; employer
organizations; community networks; health, youth, and adult service
agencies; and other relevant agencies;
(b) Improve transitions among the types of systems referred to in
paragraph (a) and eliminate service disruptions, including waiting
lists for students exiting school; and
(c) Include student IEPs that are based on each student's
interests, preferences, and needs and include, as appropriate, a
statement of interagency responsibilities and any needed linkages. The
linkages must include, as appropriate, postschool environments such as
postsecondary schools, employment, adult-service programs, and local
One-Stop Career Centers created under the Workforce Investment Act.
(d) Schedule (1) one trip annually to Washington, DC (as specified
in paragraph (c) of the GENERAL REQUIREMENTS section of this notice),
(2) one trip annually to Washington, DC (as specified in the
Requirements for All Demonstration Projects section of this priority),
and (3) an additional meeting to take place by the end of the first
month of the project.

[[Page 41798]]

Focus Area (4)--Assessments and Accountability

Background
This focus area supports State educational agencies (SEAs) and
local education agencies (LEAs) (in consortia with SEAs) in developing
and evaluating new or improved models for the meaningful and effective
participation of students with disabilities in large-scale assessments
and accountability systems.
Focus Area
A project funded under this focus area must develop and evaluate a
model that includes all students with disabilities--those who
participate in general large-scale assessments (with and without
accommodations) and those who participate in alternative assessments.
A project funded under this focus area must also develop and
evaluate a model with the following characteristics:
(a) The model must fully include students with disabilities, and
those students must have the same impact as other students in State and
local systems of educational accountability.
(b) Public reports on assessments and accountability must fully and
clearly present data on the participation and performance of students
with disabilities, aggregated with the data of all other students and
disaggregated for students with disabilities.
(c) In its decisions regarding corrective actions, resource
allocation, improvement plans, and similar processes, the SEA or LEA
must give assessment data of students with disabilities consideration
equal to the consideration it gives data of all other students.
(d) An SEA or LEA must provide IEP teams with training and support
in making decisions about how students with disabilities will
participate in assessments.
(e) The model must provide for ongoing evaluation to determine if
undesired patterns of participation or undesired consequences are
occurring. This evaluation may include, but is not limited to:
determining that all students with disabilities are, in fact,
participating in assessments, reports and accountability; tracking the
use of "nonallowed" accommodations that limit how performance data
can be used; studying the characteristics of students who participate
in alternate assessments; and analyzing retention and drop-out rates to
detect undesired trends.
(f) The model must provide for continued improvement of the
assessment and accountability system over time by means of monitoring,
evaluation, systematic training, dissemination, and similar processes.
For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs),
P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-
877-4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827). FAX: 301-470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) you may call (toll free)
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact Ed Pubs via its Web site http://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html
Or you may contact Ed Pubs at its e-mail address:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify the
competition by the appropriate CFDA number.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants and Contracts Services Team,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3317,
Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 260-9182.
If you use a TDD you may call the Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact persons listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format by contacting the Department as listed
above. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an
alternative format the standard forms included in the application
package.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT
[APPLICATION NOTICE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Estimated Maximum Estimated
CFDA No. and name Applications Application range of average size award (per Project period number of Page
available deadline date awards of awards year)* awards limit **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.324D Directed Research 06/19/02 07/22/02 $152,000-180,0 $179,000 $180,000 Up to 36.......... ........... 50
Projects. 00
Broad Focus Area A--Access .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... .................. 10
to Learning.
Broad Focus Area B-- .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... .................. 8
Accountability and Reform.
Broad Focus Area C--Social .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... .................. 8
and Emotional.

[[Page 41799]]

Development and Intervention...
84.324T Model Demonstration 06/19/02 07/22/02 115,000-180,00 150,000 $180,000 Up to 48 mos...... ........... 50
Projects for Children with 0
Disabilities.
Focus Area 1--Model .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... .................. 4
Demonstration Projects to
Support Quality Educational
and Transition and Aftercare
Programs in the Justice System
for Youth with Disabilities.
Focus Area 2--Strengthening .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... .................. 2
Childcare Infrastructures for
Infants, Toddlers, and
Preschoolers with Disabilities
from Underserved Families and
Communities.
Focus Area 3--Agency .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... .................. 2
Participation in Transition.
Focus Area 4--Assessments and .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... .................. 2
Accountability.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Consistent with EDGAR (34 CFR 75.104(b)), we will reject any application that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the stated
maximum award amount for that year.
**Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted above. Please refer to the "Page Limit"
requirements and the page limit standards described in the "General Requirements" section included under each priority description. We will reject
and will not consider an application that does not adhere to this requirement.

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

Electronic Access to This Document

You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the internet at the following site:
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC area at (202) 512-1530.

Note: 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 on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo/
nara/index.html

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1405, 1461, 1472, 1474, and 1487.

Dated: June 13, 2002.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 02-15395 Filed 6-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P