Region 5 Annual

Parent Center Meeting

Salt Lake City, Utah
June 4, 2010
Carmen M. Sanchez
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
 Presentation Goals
This presentation will help you ---
• Learn what’s new at OSEP
• Look toward the future of parent centers
• Refresh your knowledge of key grant
management concepts
Request for Applications 2010
• Published May 3, 2010
• Applications due June 17, 2010
• Significant changes to both the PTI and
CPRC priorities
• Larry Wexler’s webinar on Friday, May 14,
archived on the NPTAC’s website
• The webinar also addresses the supplements
to PTIs
Performance Measures for Parent Programs
 Performance Measure Results
2009
Measure Target Actual
1.1 Quality 60% 83.5%
1.2 Relevance 95% 89%
1.3 Usefulness 95% 86.3%
1.4 Cost $2.24 $1.06
2.1 Rights 85% 90.6%
3.1 Evidence-Based 74% 79%
Practices
 Performance Measures 2010
• 40 Centers (10 CPRCs, 7 PTACs, and 23
PTIs) were randomly selected to send in
product and service descriptions for the
quality, relevance and usefulness short-term
measures by mid-March
• All centers sent in their materials on time
• Materials are currently being reviewed
• Parent Centers are the first OSEP program to
complete the collection process for 2010
• Well done!!!
Challenges and Opportunities
• Leadership Development
• Moving from First-Time Caller to National
Spokesperson
• Finding Leaders in Unexpected Places
• Succession Planning
• Putting the Organization First
• Diversity of Funding
• Keeping the Lights On
• Greater use of expertise and
experience within the Parent
Program
Challenges and Opportunities
• Greater collaboration among National
and Regional Technical Assistance
Centers
• Participation in Verification Visits
• “Parent Center Network” Portal
• Spanish Language Glossary
• Parent Center Network Tech Plan
 ESEA Reauthorization Update
• A “blueprint” for reform at www.ed.gov Go to
“ESEA Resuthorization”
• The goals need to be more specific but there
needs to be more flexibility about how to achieve
them
• Each state has different standards; they need to
be more consistent
• Common Core Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/
ESEA Reauthorization Update

• Greater family engagement

• Note that the Early Learning Challenge
Fund did not pass; many of its goals will
be incorporated in health care reform
 Overarching Goal

“By 2020, America will once again have

the highest proportion of college
graduates in the world.”
 Four Areas of Reform
• Implement • Great Teachers
College and and Great
Career-Ready Leaders
Standards • Improve Student
• Provide Learning and
Information to Achievement in
Families and our Lowest
Educators Performing
Schools
 Reinvisioning ESEA
NCLB 2010 Blueprint
• States lowered the bar • States raise the bar and
because of wrong focus on college and
incentives career readiness
• Too prescriptive • Greater flexibility for all
• Too punitive even but the lowest
where progress was performing and gap
made schools (5%)
• Narrowed curriculum • Recognize success
focused on tests in (growth)
math and LA • Well-rounded
education
OSEP Supports the Use of ARRA
Funds for Sustainable
Improvement
• LearningPort
– A National Online Library of Professional
Development Resources
– www.learningport.us
• New IRIS module about Fidelity of
Implementation
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/
 National Activities
• Final Part C Regulations
• National Instructional Materials
Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)
• State Performance Plans/Annual
Performance Reports (SPP/APR)
Analysis
• Reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act
Web site idea.ed.gov
SPP/APRs and Parent Centers
• States Required to Access Technical
Assistance
– Advice by experts
– Assistance in identifying professional
development, instructional strategies,
based on scientifically based research
– Distinguished educators
– Collaborating with institutions of higher
education, OSEP-funded centers,
private TA providers
 Results Indicators!

• Part B - Graduation, dropout,

assessment, LRE, preschool outcomes,
parent involvement, etc.

• Part C - Child find, natural

environments, infant and toddler
outcomes, family capacity, etc.
IDEA 2004, Sec. 601, Findings
“(c) (5)Almost 30 years of research and experience has
demonstrated that the education of children with
disabilities can be made more effective by--
(A) having high expectations for such children and
ensuring their access to the general education curriculum
in the regular classroom, to the maximum extent possible,
in order to--
(i) meet developmental goals and, to the maximum
extent possible, the challenging expectations that have
been established for all children; and
(ii) be prepared to lead productive and independent
adult lives, to the maximum extent possible;
(B) strengthening the role and responsibility of
parents and ensuring that families of such children
have meaningful opportunities to participate
in the education of their children at school and
at home”
 Continuation Reports

• Continuation or annual or performance

reports – same thing.
• Thank you for submitting your reports
on time or asking for an extension
before due date!
• Small glitches with electronic
submissions were corrected or worked
around.
 Continuation Reports

• Continuation reports must show

“substantial progress” towards meeting
project objectives in order for project
officer to approve funding for the
following year
• “Substantial progress” is not perfection
• Honest reporting of successes and
challenges is crucial
 Continuation Reports
• Projects will not be approved for
continued funding if
– There are factual errors in the report, such
as budget amounts
– If all three program measures (i.e., quality,
relevance, and usefulness) are not
addressed in the report
– If the report substantially deviates
from the approved grant application or
approved revisions
 Continuation Reports
• You will be asked to submit missing or
incorrect information needed to find
“substantial progress”
– Continuation funding cannot be approved
until information is received
• Feedback on the report is meant to
– Improve the project and the organization’s
ability to meet project objectives
– Improve the organization’s ability to
effectively report on its activities
 Grant Management
• Call your project officer for a list of websites related to
grants management
• www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html
contains the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations Parts 74-86, 97-99 of
CFR Title 34; now on CD disc;
• www.ed.gov “Funding” on the homepage will take
you to good information
• www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html
contains information about current and archived
application packages
 Grantmaking at US ED
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/about/grantmaking/index.html
“Answers to Your Questions about the
Discretionary Grants Process” (2006)
o What is a discretionary grant?
o What are certifications and assurances?
o What do I need to know about indirect costs and the
indirect cost rates when preparing my application?
o Do OMB circulars apply to my grant award?
o What do I need to do to prepare for a site visit?
o What happens if I do not send the
Department the required reports?
o What kind of records do I need to keep?…
 Grantee Responsibilities
• Perform the work in the application
• Exercise financial stewardship
• Comply with requirements
• Align drawn downs with activities
• Make progress towards goals
• Report regularly to the Department
• Maintain records
 Contact US ED If …
• You change project scope and
objectives*
• You need to extend the length of the
project (no-cost extension)*
• You need to transfer funds between
budget items*
• You change key personnel or level of
effort*
• Board Chair changes
*Require prior approval
 Don’t Forget to …

• Attend national and regional meetings

• Answer your phones
• Ensure access to your center
• Monitor your draw downs
• Ask for technical assistance
 Looking at Your Center
Self-assessment questions include:
• Are we carrying out the activities required by IDEA?
• Is our project serving all families?
• How effective are we at reaching all families?
• How well does our Board and staff work together?
• Are we building our organization’s capacity?

Parent Center Standards are

a Tool Designed for You
 Remember
• Call your Project Officer or TA provider
with any questions
• We are here to support you

Share your stories!

 Thank You!

Keep Up the Great Work for

Families of Children With
Disabilities!