§1453 Applications

Summary

States that want a grant must send an application to the Secretary when and how the Secretary says. The application must include a plan that names and fixes State and local needs for preparing and training staff and people who give extra services to children with disabilities. The plan must help the State meet the rules in sections 1412(a)(14) and 1435(a)(8) and (9). It must come from a needs check that points out big problems, including current and expected staff vacancies and shortages and the number of preservice and inservice programs. The plan should match State activities under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Higher Education Act. The State must promise to carry out the strategies described in the plan. The plan must include a partnership agreement for the grant period that says who does what (including any partner in 1452(b)(3)). It must show how the strategies will be coordinated with other public and private funds and with ESEA plans. It must describe specific strategies and programs to train staff to improve results for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and children with disabilities and how those strategies link to grants under section 1462. The State must promise to give technical help to local education agencies and to early intervention providers, explain how it will recruit and keep qualified teachers in high-need areas, explain steps to avoid poor or minority children being taught more often by unqualified teachers, and say how it will regularly measure progress toward the goals in section 1412(a)(15). The Secretary will use a panel of experts to review applications. Most panel members must not be federal employees, and non-federal members may be paid. States that get grants must send yearly reports showing progress, evaluating results, and listing any changes to improve performance.