1. P ERSONNEL P REPARATION IN S PECIAL E DUCATION, E ARLY I NTERVENTION, AND R ELATED S ERVICES ( 84.325K ) Maryann McDermott, Competition Manager (maryann.mcdermott@ed.gov)maryann.mcdermott@ed.gov Office of Special Education Programs U.S. Department of Education April 22, 2011

2. K EY P OINTS Purpose of the 325K Priority Eligibility Priority Requirements Five Focus Areas Competitive Preference Priorities Application Basics O S E P 2

3. P URPOSE OF 325K P RIORITY To improve the quality and to increase the number of personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children, including infants and toddlers, with disabilities – especially in areas of chronic personnel shortage – by supporting projects that prepare early intervention, special education, and related services personnel at the associates, baccalaureate, master’s, and specialist levels. O S E P 3

4. E LIGIBILITY Programs must support and prepare scholars to complete a degree, State certification, professional license, or State endorsement. – Programs preparing special education paraprofessionals, assistants in related services professions, or educational interpreters are also eligible. – Programs providing an alternate route to certification or supporting dual (regular and special education) certification for teachers are eligible as well. O S E P 4

5. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (a) D EMONSTRATE UNDER THE NARRATIVE SECTION OF THE APPLICATION UNDER “Q UALITY OF P ROJECT S ERVICES,” HOW : (1) Personnel preparation requirements and required coursework incorporate research-based practices that improve outcomes for children with disabilities. O S E P 5

6. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (a) Q UALITY OF P ROJECT S ERVICES ( CONTINUED ) (2) Integrated coursework with practicum opportunities that enhance competencies to – serve and instruct children with disabilities; – collaborate with regular education personnel; – incorporate UDL principles into curricula and instructional practices; – integrate instructional and assistive technologies into the delivery of services; – collect, analyze, and use data on early learning outcomes, student achievement, or student growth in order to improve instructional practices and interventions; and – support and work with parents and families of children with disabilities. O S E P 6

7. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (a) Q UALITY OF P ROJECT S ERVICES ( CONTINUED ) (3)The program prepares personnel to address the specialized needs of high-need children with disabilities by – Identifying needed competences, and – Preparing personnel to apply these competencies in High-need LEAs, High poverty schools, Low-performing schools, or Publically-funded preschool programs. O S E P 7

8. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (a) Q UALITY OF P ROJECT S ERVICES ( CONTINUED ) (4) The program is designed to provide extended clinical learning opportunities, field experiences, or supervised practica, and on-going high-quality mentoring and induction opportunities for scholars. O S E P 8

9. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (a) Q UALITY OF P ROJECT S ERVICES ( CONTINUED ) (5) The preparation program will – Enable scholars to be highly qualified in accordance with IDEA and the State(s) to be served by the applicant; and – Ensure that the scholars are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to assist children in meeting State academic achievement standards. O S E P 9

10. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (a) Q UALITY OF P ROJECT S ERVICES ( CONTINUED ) (6) The preparation program provides support to scholars through innovative strategies that are designed to enhance scholar retention and success in the program. O S E P 10

11. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (b) I NCLUDE IN THE NARRATIVE SECTION OF THE APPLICATION UNDER “Q UALITY OF P ROJECT E VALUATION,” A CLEAR, EFFECTIVE PLAN FOR EVALUATING PROJECT OUTCOMES : (1) Collect and analyze data on scholars’ competencies; (2) Collect and analyze data on quality of services provided by the program graduates*, including data on student outcomes and growth; and (3) Use the results and findings from this evaluation for program improvement. *Note: Under this evaluation requirement, grantees are encouraged – but not required – to engage in data collection activities after the completion of the grant. O S E P 11

12. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (c) A PPLICATION A PPENDIX Course syllabi, in their entirety; and Logic model with – Goals, – Activities, – Outputs, and – Outcomes. O S E P 12

13. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (d) E NSURE THAT COURSE SYLLABI INCORPORATE RESEARCH - BASED CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY. (e) C ERTIFY THAT ALL SCHOLARS WILL GRADUATE BY THE END OF THE GRANT PROJECT PERIOD. (f) C ERTIFY THAT THE INSTITUTION WILL NOT REQUIRE SCHOLARS RECRUITED INTO THE PROGRAM TO WORK AS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP, UNLESS THE WORK IS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THEIR PREPARATION PROGRAM. O S E P 13

14. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (g) M EET IDEA STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN SECTION 662(e) THROUGH 662(h). (h) E NSURE THAT AT LEAST 65% OF TOTAL BUDGET PER YEAR BE USED TO SUPPORT SCHOLARS. (i) B UDGET FOR ATTENDANCE AT 3- DAY P ROJECT D IRECTORS ’ MEETING IN W ASHINGTON, DC DURING EACH YEAR OF THE PROJECT. O S E P 14

15. P RIORITY R EQUIREMENTS (j) I F THE PROJECT MAINTAINS A W EB SITE, INCLUDE RELEVANT INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS IN A FORM THAT MEETS GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY - RECOGNIZED STANDARDS OF ACCESSIBILITY. (k) S UBMIT ANNUAL DATA ON EACH SCHOLAR WHO RECEIVES GRANT SUPPORT. O S E P 15

16. F OCUS A REA A: P REPARING P ERSONNEL TO S ERVE I NFANTS, T ODDLERS, AND P RESCHOOL - A GE C HILDREN WITH D ISABILITIES 9 Awards Programs preparing: – Early Intervention personnel: birth to 3 – Early Childhood personnel: 3 through 5 In States where the age range is other than ages 3 through 5, we will defer to the State’s certification for early childhood. – Combined Early Intervention and Early Childhood: birth through 5 Interdisciplinary projects implement common core content and practicum experiences across disciplines for early intervention providers or early childhood special educators, and related services personnel to serve infants, toddlers, and preschool- age children with disabilities. O S E P 16

17. F OCUS A REA B: P REPARING P ERSONNEL TO S ERVE S CHOOL -A GE C HILDREN WITH L OW - I NCIDENCE D ISABILITIES 11 Awards Prepare special education personnel, including paraprofessionals, to serve school-age children with low-incidence disabilities, including – Visual impairments – Hearing impairments – Simultaneous vision and hearing impairments – Significant intellectual disabilities – Orthopedic impairments – Autism – Traumatic brain injury Programs that prepare educational interpreters are eligible Programs preparing special education personnel to provide services to visually impaired or blind children must prepare those individuals to provide appropriate services in braille. O S E P 17

18. F OCUS A REA C: P REPARING P ERSONNEL TO P ROVIDE R ELATED S ERVICES TO C HILDREN, I NCLUDING I NFANTS AND T ODDLERS, WITH D ISABILITIES 9 Awards Related service personnel serve children, including infants and toddlers. For the purposes of this focus area, related services include, but are not limited to: – Psychological services, – Physical therapy, including DPT, – Adapted physical education, – Occupational therapy, – Therapeutic recreation, – Social work services, – Counseling services, – Audiology services, including DAud, and – Speech and language services. O S E P 18

19. F OCUS A REA D: P REPARING P ERSONNEL IN M INORITY I NSTITUTIONS TO S ERVE C HILDREN, I NCLUDING I NFANTS AND T ODDLERS, WITH D ISABILITIES 10 Awards Minority institutions include institutions with a minority enrollment of 25% or more, which may include: – Historically Black Colleges and Universities, – Tribal Colleges, and – Predominately Hispanic Serving Colleges and Universities. Programs in minority institutions preparing personnel in Focus Areas A, B, C, and E are eligible within Focus Area D. Programs that are preparing high-incidence special education personnel are not eligible under this priority. However, they are eligible under Absolute Priority 3 described elsewhere in this Notice. O S E P 19

20. F OCUS A REA D: P REPARING P ERSONNEL IN M INORITY I NSTITUTIONS TO S ERVE C HILDREN, I NCLUDING I NFANTS AND T ODDLERS, WITH D ISABILITIES Focus Area D: Continued A project funded under Focus Area D may budget for less than 65% for scholar support – if sufficient justification is provided. Justification would include support for activities such as program development, program expansion, or the addition of a new area of emphasis. See the Priority Note, pp. A20-A21, for samples and details. O S E P 20

21. F OCUS A REA E: P REPARING P ERSONNEL TO P ROVIDE S ECONDARY T RANSITION S ERVICES TO S CHOOL -A GE C HILDREN WITH D ISABILITIES 9 Awards Programs that offer a sequence of career, vocational, or secondary transition courses and that enable personnel to meet State requirements for a credential or endorsement in secondary transition services for children with disabilities If the programs are offered by the institution, eligible applicants must establish partnerships with personnel in the institution’s Vocational rehabilitation counseling program, or Career and technical education program. – Funds may be used to support faculty from those programs for their involvement in the program activities. – Applicants must provide documentation of the partnership in the form of a letter from the Dean or Department Chair describing how faculty will be involved with the design and delivery of courses and the supervision of scholar practicum experiences. O S E P 21

22. C OMPETITIVE P REFERENCE P RIORITY 1 5 P OINTS Relationship with one or more high-need LEAs or publically funded preschool programs; Located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA that will provide scholars with a high-quality practicum experience in a high- poverty school; and Provide opportunities for research-based professional development on strategies to better serve high-need children with disabilities. O S E P 22

23. C OMPETITIVE P REFERENCE P RIORITY 2 5 P OINTS In Focus Area D, applicants that document that they are institutions with minority enrollment of 50% or more. O S E P 23

24. C OMPETITIVE P REFERENCE P RIORITY 3 5 P OINTS In Focus Areas A, B, C, and D, applicants that prepare personnel who work with children, including infants and toddlers, who are deaf or hard of hearing to teach them listening and spoken language skills. O S E P 24

25. S ELECTION C RITERIA N EED FOR P ROJECT – 10 POINTS Q UALITY OF P ROJECT S ERVICES – 30 POINTS Q UALITY OF P ROJECT P ERSONNEL – 10 POINTS Q UALITY OF M ANAGEMENT P LAN – 20 POINTS A DEQUACY OF R ESOURCES – 10 POINTS Q UALITY OF P ROJECT E VALUATION – 20 POINTS C OMPETITIVE P REFERENCE – 5 POINTS O S E P 25

26. P ROJECT B ASICS Project Period – Up to 60 months Project Budget – $250,000/ year O S E P 26

27. A PPLICATION B ASICS Read the Application Package carefully. This overview is intended to facilitate the webinar discussion. The published Priority and Application Package contain the official guidance. Submission through http://www.grants.gov http://www.grants.gov C LOSING : 4:30:00 P. M. (W ASHINGTON, DC T IME ) ON M AY 31, 2011 O S E P 27

28. F OR M ORE I NFORMATION This webinar is archived at www.tadnet.org/newswww.tadnet.org/news Focus Area A: Maryann McDermott 202-245-7439 maryann.mcdermott@ed.gov Focus Area B: Maryann McDermott 202-245-7439 maryann.mcdermott@ed.gov Focus Area C: Sarah Allen 202-245-7875 sarah.allen@ed.gov Focus Area D: Ernest Hairston ernest.hairston@ed.gov Focus Area E: Corinne Weidenthal corinne.weidenthal@ed.gov O S E P 28