OSERS: OSEP: Model Demonstration Projects to Develop Equitable Family Engagement with Underserved Families of Children with Disabilities

Overview

The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve results for children with disabilities by providing technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research. 

Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and, within that absolute priority, one competitive preference priority. 

Priority: The purpose of this priority is to fund four cooperative agreements to establish and operate evidence-based model demonstration projects. The models must implement sustainable, schoolwide policies, practices, and strategies that systemically engage underserved families of children with disabilities as partners and leaders in creating more equitable and inclusive schools that lead to improved outcomes for children with disabilities.

The models must address the infrastructure (e.g., implementation teams, data systems) and ongoing supports needed to foster the development, implementation, and evaluation of sustainable, schoolwide family engagement policies, practices, and strategies that systemically involve underserved families of children with disabilities to create more equitable and inclusive schools that are responsive to the priorities, strengths and needs of underserved families of children with disabilities.

The models must demonstrate methods for identifying evidence-based strategies that build the capacity of school personnel and underserved families of children with disabilities to jointly develop and implement sustainable, equitable, and inclusive systemic change.

The models must capture information about challenges to implementation and determine what system supports may assist in meeting those challenges. Additionally, the models must use data to provide information about how the models affect family engagement policies, strategies, and practices within schools; school personnel’s capacity to engage with underserved families of children with disabilities and their communities; underserved families’ engagement and leadership in school activities; and systemic change that leads to more equitable and inclusive schools that improve outcomes for underserved children with disabilities. 

The competitive preference priority is: Models in Schools with High Percentages of Military-Connected Students.

Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $400,000. 
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $1,600,000 per project for a project period of 60 months

Project Period: Up to 60 months.
-------------------
Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement