OSERS: OSEP: Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program: Stepping-up Technology Implementation Assistance Listing Number 84.327S | ED GRANTS 122220 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 122220 001

The OSERS/OSEP grant opportunity titled "Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program: Stepping-up Technology Implementation Assistance" (Assistance Listing 84.327S) is a U.S. Department of Education discretionary funding opportunity run through the Office of Special Education Programs. It is designed to strengthen how schools and education systems actually put accessible and assistive technologies into practice, with the broader aim of improving educational outcomes for children with disabilities. The program sits within a larger federal effort to make sure students with disabilities can access the same instructional content and classroom experiences as their peers, and it emphasizes practical implementation supports rather than technology for technology's sake.

At the core of this program is the federal purpose for the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities initiative: improving results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; supporting educational activities that have clear value in classroom instruction; providing support for captioning and video description suitable for classroom use; and ensuring accessible educational materials are delivered to children with disabilities in a timely way. In other words, this funding is tied to real-world access issues such as whether students can meaningfully use digital tools, whether multimedia content is accessible (through captioning and video description), and whether accessible versions of instructional materials arrive quickly enough to support learning rather than lag behind.

This particular competition is offered as a cooperative agreement, which usually means the Department of Education anticipates a more hands-on role in the work compared to a standard grant. Cooperative agreements often involve substantial federal involvement such as ongoing collaboration, shared planning, or continuous technical guidance during the project period. Applicants should expect that the funded work will need to align closely with federal expectations and reporting, including whatever performance measures and priorities are laid out in the official Federal Register notice.

Eligibility is broad and spans many types of organizations that could credibly deliver implementation assistance at scale. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments (including special district governments); independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit entities (other than small businesses); and other entities as clarified in the official notice. Practically speaking, this wide eligibility reflects the reality that effective technology implementation support can come from state education agencies, districts, universities, nonprofits with specialized expertise, regional service providers, or partnerships that combine those strengths.

The funding parameters in the synopsis indicate an award ceiling of $500,000 and an expectation of three awards. The opportunity was posted with applications available on December 22, 2020, and a deadline for transmittal of applications on February 22, 2021, with an intergovernmental review deadline of April 21, 2021. The Department also planned to post pre-recorded informational webinars no later than December 28, 2020, intended to provide technical assistance to prospective applicants and hosted on the Department's OSEP grants webpage.

A key compliance and context point is that this program operates alongside other federal disability rights laws that may independently require accessibility in educational programs. The notice specifically flags the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which can obligate state educational agencies and local educational agencies to provide captioning, video description, and other accessible materials when needed to ensure equally integrated and equally effective access, or when required to provide a free appropriate public education (including as defined in relevant Section 504 regulations). This matters because it frames accessibility not as an optional enhancement but as a civil rights and educational access requirement that schools may already be responsible for meeting; the grant funding is a way to strengthen capacity, systems, and implementation supports to meet those obligations effectively.

For administrative guidance, the synopsis points applicants to the Department's "Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs" published February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), which covers how to obtain and submit an application and standard federal application procedures. The official requirements that control the competition, including application content, priorities, selection criteria, performance measures, and submission instructions, are contained in the Federal Register application notice, which the Department emphasizes is the authoritative source.

The listed federal contact for additional information is Terry Jackson at the U.S. Department of Education (400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 5128, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076), phone (202) 245-6039, email Terry.Jackson@ed.gov.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OSERS: OSEP: Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program: Stepping-up Technology Implementation Assistance Listing Number 84.327S" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.327.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 22, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 22, 2021 Applications Available December 22, 2020. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications February 22, 2021. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review April 21, 2021. Pre-Application Webinar Information No later than December 28, 2020, 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. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 5128, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone (202) 245-6039. Email Terry.Jackson@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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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