OSERS-OSEP: Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education Early Intervention and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs, CFDA Number 84.325K: Focus Area B | ED GRANTS 052419 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 052419 002

This grant opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Education, specifically the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). It is titled "Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs" under CFDA (now commonly referenced as assistance listing) 84.325K, Focus Area B. The competition is a discretionary grant program, meaning awards are made competitively based on the application’s quality and alignment with federal priorities rather than by formula.

The core purpose of the program is workforce preparation. It is designed to help address needs that states have identified for better-prepared personnel across special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education. The target population those personnel ultimately serve is children with disabilities, including infants and toddlers through youth, with an emphasis here on children with high-intensity needs. In practical terms, the program is aimed at increasing the number and improving the preparation of professionals who can work effectively in complex, high-support situations and who can collaborate across disciplines rather than operating in isolated professional silos.

A central requirement built into the program’s purpose is that training and preparation be grounded in practices supported by scientifically based research. In other words, the expectation is not just to produce more personnel, but to ensure those personnel have demonstrable, evidence-informed skills and knowledge that translate into successful services for children with disabilities. This reflects the broader federal approach in special education and early intervention: investing in personnel pipelines that use validated methods and can show outcomes tied to improved service quality and effectiveness.

Eligibility is broad but still bounded by the categories listed in the notice. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), with an additional “other” category that requires checking the official notice’s “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification. Even though multiple organization types can apply, the theme of “personnel preparation” often implies that applicants typically need the capacity to design and deliver high-quality training or academic preparation, frequently in partnership with schools, early intervention programs, clinics, or other service settings where personnel learn to serve children with disabilities in real-world environments.

In terms of funding scale and competitiveness, the award ceiling listed is $250,000, and the notice anticipated about 30 awards. The application timeline provided shows the opportunity was made available May 24, 2019, with an application deadline of July 8, 2019. The Department also planned early technical assistance for applicants: OSERS would post pre-recorded informational webinars by May 29, 2019, and it would open a pre-application Q&A blog by May 29, 2019, where applicants could ask questions specifically about application requirements. That blog was scheduled to remain open until June 12, 2019, after which applicants were directed to contact the program contact directly.

The opportunity description repeatedly emphasizes that the synopsis is not the authoritative source for requirements. Applicants were instructed to rely on the official Federal Register application notice for details such as eligibility nuances, priorities, required components, performance measures, and submission instructions. For standard submission procedures, the notice points applicants to the Department of Education’s “Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs” published February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768). This matters because Department of Education discretionary competitions frequently have strict formatting, page limits, required forms, and submission rules, and the common instructions typically govern baseline compliance items that can affect whether an application is reviewed at all.

For applicant support and official inquiries, the notice identifies a specific federal contact: Maryann McDermott at the U.S. Department of Education, including a phone number and email address. This is typical for OSEP competitions and signals that policy or procedural clarifications should be routed through the designated program officer once the public Q&A window closes.

Overall, Focus Area B under CFDA 84.325K sits within a larger federal strategy to strengthen the special education and early intervention workforce by funding interdisciplinary preparation efforts. The program’s stated priorities are to (1) respond to state-identified personnel shortages or capacity gaps and (2) ensure personnel are trained using research-based practices so they are equipped to successfully serve children with disabilities, particularly those with high-intensity needs. For anyone trying to understand what a strong application would look like, the key themes embedded in the synopsis are: state-defined need, interdisciplinary preparation, evidence-based practice, and clear alignment to improving the quality and readiness of personnel serving children across early childhood through youth.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OSERS-OSEP: Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education Early Intervention and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs, CFDA Number 84.325K: Focus Area B" 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 May 24, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 08, 2019 Applications Available May 24, 2019. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications July 8, 2019. Pre-Application Webinar Information No later than May 29, 2019, OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. The webinars may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html. Pre-Application Q amp A Blog No later than May 29, 2019, OSERS will open a blog where interested applicants may post questions about the application requirements for this competition and where OSERS will post answers to the questions received. OSERS will not respond to questions unrelated to the application requirements for this competition. The blog may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html and will remain open until June 12, 2019. After the blog closes, applicants should direct questions to Maryann McDermott, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 5144,Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5108. Telephone (202) 245-7439. Email Maryann.McDermott@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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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