Also Known As: Special Education — Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities
Program Description
The Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA & D) program is the Department's primary vehicle under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for providing educators, policymakers, other service providers, and the parents and families of children with disabilities with information on effective practices for meeting the needs of children with disabilities and their families. The program makes competitive awards to provide technical assistance, support model demonstration projects, disseminate useful information, and implement activities that are supported by scientific research. These awards are intended to improve services provided under the IDEA, including the practices of professionals and others involved in providing services that promote academic achievement and improve results for children with disabilities.
A majority of the grants currently funded under the TA & D program support technical assistance centers that focus on a particular topic, population, or age range, such as early intervening services, dispute resolution, early childhood, college- and career-readiness, and positive behavioral interventions and supports to improve results for children with disabilities. Most centers use a service model that provides three levels of technical assistance: intensive/sustained, targeted/specific, and general/universal. At the intensive/sustained level, a handful of states receive on-site, ongoing planned assistance designed to reach an outcome desired by the recipient. Through targeted/specific services, centers support activities based on the topical or technical needs common to multiple recipients and can be one-time or short-term events such as consultation services or presentations at conferences. The centers also provide general/universal technical assistance services that permit a broader audience to access information and services through presentations, newsletters, or research syntheses that are made available on center Web sites.
Most activities supported through this program are designed to address the needs of a variety of audiences. While these audiences vary, in general, they include teachers, related services personnel, early intervention personnel, administrators, parents, and individuals with disabilities. In addition to facilitating the adoption of model practices, TA & D activities promote the application of knowledge to improve practice by:
- determining areas where technical assistance and information are needed,
- preparing or ensuring that materials are prepared in formats that are appropriate for a wide variety of audiences,
- making technical assistance and information accessible to consumers, and
- promoting communication links among consumers.
The technical assistance and dissemination activities supported through this program are based on the best information available. One source of the scientifically based research findings that are used to inform technical assistance and dissemination activities is the What Works Clearinghouse in the Institute of Education Sciences. This is particularly true in cases where there is alignment between the topical focus of a center and work being supported through the What Works Clearinghouse, such as dropout prevention
The duration of awards varies with the award's purpose. Most individual awards are made for a period of 5 years
Eligible applicants include:
- institutions of higher education (IHEs),
- local education agencies (LEAs),
- nonprofit organizations,
- state education agencies (SEAs), and
- other organizations and/or agencies.
In addition to the categories above, public charter schools that are LEAs under state law, other public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, outlying areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), freely associated states, and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
Grant Competitions
| ALN | Project Title |
|---|---|
| 84.326A | Planning Grants for Increasing Instructional Time and Reducing Administrative Burdens |
| 84.326B | Technical Assistance Center for Evidence-Based Practices to Improve the Social-Emotional Development of Young Children with or at Risk of Disabilities |
| 84.326C | National Center on Rigorous Comprehensive Education for Students With Disabilities |
| 84.326D | Postsecondary Education Center for Individuals who are Deaf. |
| 84.326E | National Technical Assistance Center on Transition for Students and Youth with Disabilities |
| 84.326F | State and Federal Policy Forum for Program Improvement |
| 84.326G | Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities and Technical Assistance on State Data Collection-National Assessment Center |
| 84.326H | National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center |
| 84.326J | Transition to College and Careers Center |
| 84.326K | National Technical Assistance Center to Support Implementation and Scaling Up of Evidence-Based Practices |
| 84.326L | Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center on Improving Literacy through Supporting Elementary School Leaders |
| 84.326M | Model Demonstration Projects to Develop Equitable Family Engagement with Underserved Families of Children with Disabilities |
| 84.326N | National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities |
| 84.326P | Early Childhood Systems Technical Assistance Center |
| 84.326Q | National Center for Students with Disabilities Who Require Intensive Interventions |
| 84.326R | National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) |
| 84.326S | National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports |
| 84.326T | State Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Services and Results for Children who are Deaf-Blind and National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind |
| 84.326U | National Center on Postsecondary Outcomes for Students with Disabilities |
| 84.326W | National Dropout Center for Students with Disabilities |
| 84.326X | Center on Dispute Resolution |
| 84.326Y | National Technical Assistance Center for Inclusive Practices and Policies |
| 84.326Z | Technical Assistance Coordination Center |
Program Authority
20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Applicable Regulations
- The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
- The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.
- The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.
The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes. The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
The Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA & D) program is the Department's primary vehicle under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for providing educators, policymakers, other service providers, and the parents and families of children with disabilities with information on effective practices for meeting the needs of children with disabilities and their families. The program makes competitive awards to provide technical assistance, support model demonstration projects, disseminate useful information, and implement activities that are supported by scientific research. These awards are intended to improve services provided under the IDEA, including the practices of professionals and others involved in providing services that promote academic achievement and improve results for children with disabilities.