OSERS: OSEP: Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities—National Center for Improving Teacher and Leader Professions to Better Serve Children with Disabilities, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.325A | ED GRANTS 033122 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 033122 001

This grant opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Education, within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). It is part of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program and is titled the National Center for Improving Teacher and Leader Professions to Better Serve Children with Disabilities. The Assistance Listing Number is 84.325A, and the opportunity was offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, which typically means the Department of Education expects to have substantial involvement with the recipient during the project (for example, ongoing coordination, shared planning, or federal participation in key decisions), rather than operating as a hands-off grant.

The core purpose is workforce and capacity building: strengthening how states and education systems prepare and support professionals who serve children and youth with disabilities. The program is designed to help address state-identified personnel preparation needs across special education, early intervention, related services, and general/regular education roles that include serving infants and toddlers through school-age youth. A major emphasis is ensuring that the educators and leaders being prepared or supported gain skills and knowledge grounded in scientifically based research, meaning practices and approaches with a strong evidence base rather than informal or untested methods. In practical terms, the funded national center is intended to improve the profession and pipeline of teachers and leaders so that services for children with disabilities improve and outcomes for those children and youth improve as well.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of entities that could credibly operate a national center or participate in a consortium. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments (including independent school districts and special district governments), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), plus other entities as clarified in the official notice. This range signals that OSEP was open to applications from universities, state agencies, nonprofit technical assistance providers, research organizations, and cross-sector partnerships that can operate at a national scale and support multiple states or systems.

Financially, the award ceiling listed is $3,500,000, and the Department anticipated making one award. The posting indicates the opportunity was created on March 31, 2022, with applications available the same day. The original deadline for transmittal of applications was May 31, 2022, and the deadline for intergovernmental review was July 29, 2022. OSERS also planned to provide applicant support through pre-recorded informational webinars, with details to be posted no later than April 5, 2022, and made available through the OSEP grants page.

Because the public summary is explicitly a synopsis, the official requirements are in the Federal Register notice. That official notice is where applicants would find the specific project expectations for the national center, the selection criteria, any absolute or competitive priorities, required performance measures, reporting expectations, budget rules, and the precise submission instructions. The notice also points applicants to the Department of Education Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published December 27, 2021) for the standard federal submission and formatting rules used across many Education discretionary competitions.

For questions, the listed federal contact for this competition was David Guardino at the U.S. Department of Education, with phone (202) 245-6209 and email David.Guardino@ed.gov, located at 400 Maryland Avenue SW, room 5135, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OSERS: OSEP: Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities—National Center for Improving Teacher and Leader Professions to Better Serve Children with Disabilities, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.325A" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.325.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 31, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 31, 2022 Applications Available March 31, 2022. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications May 31, 2022. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review July 29, 2022. Pre-Application Webinar Information No later than April 5, 2022, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will post details on pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Links to the webinars may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT David Guardino, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 5135, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone (202) 245-6209. Email David.Guardino@ed.gov.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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