Resources for Discretionary Grantees

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Overview

This page is designed to support currently funded OSEP grantees across our six program areas. This site serves as a centralized location for guidance, tools, and examples to help you successfully implement your project and meet federal reporting and accountability requirements.

General Resources

These resources apply to all six program areas and provide foundational guidance to support high-quality implementation and reporting. You can find resources on:

  • Completing and Submitting the Annual Performance Report (APR)
  • Writing Strong Project Performance Measures
  • Updates on Uniform Guidance
  • Developing a Logic Model and Evaluation Plan

Program Specific Resources

Each program area includes resources tailored to its unique statutory, regulatory, and implementation requirements.

How to Use This Site

We recommend starting with the General Resources section to familiarize yourself with shared expectations across programs. Then, visit your program-specific section for guidance tailored to your grant.

If you have questions that are not addressed on this site, please contact your program officer for additional support.

Overview

Recipients of multi-year discretionary grants must submit an annual grant performance report demonstrating substantial progress towards meeting project objectives. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requires discretionary grantees to report on their progress towards meeting the performance measures established for each program within the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). These requirements are in accordance with the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 34 CFR 75.253.

OSEP Performance Reporting: Guide to the APR

The slides included provide current OSEP discretionary grantees with guidance on submitting their annual performance report (APR) in G5. This year’s APR is due on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Grants Management and Training Resources

The information provided includes ED wide Grant Training and Risk Management as part of the regulatory revisions in 2 CFR part 200, commonly referred to as the Uniform Guidance.

Laws, Regulations, and Guidance

These ED wide resources are provided to aid grantees in the administration of Federal grants awarded by the Department of Education

Logic Models to Support Evaluation

Logic models provide a starting point for developing an effective evaluation plan. Here you will find resources that pertain to using logic models to inform evaluation planning.  

Using a Logic Model to Build a Strong Evaluation Plan: A 4-part Training Series

This training helps participants:

  • Understand the benefits of using a logic model to create an evaluation plan;
  • Develop a strong logic model that shows how inputs and activities are expected to lead to meaningful short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes; and
  • Align an evaluation plan and analysis to critical components within the logic model.

Webinars and Resources

Evaluation

The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (“Evidence Act”) provides a statutory framework to advance a vision for a nation that relies on evidence and data to make decisions at all levels of government.

Consistent with the Evidence Act, OSEP requires its grantees to conduct evaluation activities that build evidence about the outcomes associated with their federally-funded projects.

The following resources provide technical assistance and support for improving the quality and rigor of formative and summative evaluations conducted by OSEP grantees and evaluators in order to meet ED’s mission of promoting student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

The State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) program provides grants to help state educational agencies reform and improve their systems for personnel preparation and professional development of individuals providing early intervention, educational and transition services to improve results for children with disabilities.

The State Professional Development Grantees implement a variety of initiatives. In an effort to assist projects, resources are available on the SigNetwork including guidance on writing the APR and overall grant management.

2026 SPDG Dear Colleague Letter

Please click the link to see the Dear Colleague Letter for Completing and Submitting the Annual Performance Report (APR) for this program.

Overview

The Personnel Preparation program helps meet state-identified needs for adequate numbers of fully certified personnel to serve children with disabilities by supporting competitive awards to:

  • Provide research-based training and professional development to prepare special education, related services, early intervention, and regular education personnel to work with children with disabilities
  • Ensure that those personnel are fully qualified, and possess the skills and knowledge that are needed to serve children with disabilities; and
  • Ensure that those personnel are fully qualified, and possess the skills and knowledge that are needed to serve children with disabilities.

The Department is required to make competitive grants that support training activities in a few high priority areas, including:

  • general personnel development and preparing beginning special educators,
  • personnel serving children with low incidence disabilities, and
  • leadership personnel.

2026 PDP Dear Colleague Letter

Please click the link to see the Dear Colleague Letter for Completing and Submitting the Annual Performance Report (APR) for this program.

PDP Program Specific Guide to the APR

Slides provided by OSEP Project Officers to support PDP training grantees in completing 2026 APR: FY 25 Cohort APR-Webinar Jan 2026.

Sample PDP PROJECT Measures aligned with PDP Program Measures

Examples of Project Measures which align with PDP Program Measures, to support new PDP grantees in developing measures for APR reporting.

ED 524B APR Cover Sheet Example for PDP Grantees

Example of completed ED 524-B APR Cover Sheet with tips for PDP Projects.

ED 524B APR Status Chart Example for PDP Grantees

Example of ED 524-B APR Status Chart (Section A), Section B, and Section C, with tips for PDP training Projects.

Scholar Service Obligation Resources

Personnel Development Program Data Collection System

The PDPDCS tracks the eligible employment of scholars who have been awarded scholarships from Personnel Development Program grants until their service obligations are fulfilled or they are referred to the Secretary for repayment of part or all of the funding received.

The Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) program funds centers to improve results for children with disabilities from birth through 21 and their families by promoting the use of evidence-based practices.

The TA&D centers build the capacity of states and local programs to implement evidence-based practices by:

  1. identifying emerging needs,
  2. developing high-quality products,
  3. providing effective technical assistance, and
  4. widely disseminating useful information.

2026 TA&D Dear Colleague Letter

Please click the link to see the Dear Colleague Letter for Completing and Submitting the Annual Performance Report (APR) for this program.

Resources for OSEP State Deafblind Projects

Template for OSEP State DeafBlind Projects to use in completing the Common Project Measures Report for 2026.

Screenshots and instructions to support OSEP State DeafBlind Projects with uploading attachments to the APR in G5.

OSEP funds national centers that support the effective use of accessible technology to improve access to instruction for individuals with disabilities.

2026 ETechM2 Dear Colleague Letter

Please click the link to see the Dear Colleague Letter for Completing and Submitting the Annual Performance Report (APR) for this program.

The Special Education Parent Information Centers support parents of children with disabilities from birth through 26 by providing high- quality, relevant, and useful training and information to help improve outcomes for their children. Activities include:

  • working with families of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, birth to 26;
  • helping parents participate effectively in their children’s education and development; and
  • partnering with professionals and policy makers to improve outcomes for all children with disabilities.

OSEP holds informational webinars for Parent Centers on a quarterly and as-needed basis. Those resources are housed on the Center for Parent Information & Resources (CPIR) website.

2026 Parent Program Grants Dear Colleague Letter

Please click the link to see the Dear Colleague Letter for Completing and Submitting the Annual Performance Report (APR) for this program.

Parent Program Specific Guide to the APR

Slides provided by OSEP Project Officers to support Parent Program grantees in completing 2026 APR: Parent Training and Information Center FY 26 APR Support.

OSEP funds national centers that provide technical assistance to improve the capacity of states to meet the data collection and reporting requirements under Parts B and C of IDEA.

2026 TA on State Data Collection Dear Colleague Letter

Please click the link to see the Dear Colleague Letter for Completing and Submitting the Annual Performance Report (APR) for this program.

OSEP Peer Review

Grants are reviewed through a peer review process.

Novice reviewers and reviewers who have not participated in recent OSEP grant competitions should review the OSEP Peer Review Process Webinar (August 2019).

Severe Discrepancy, Screening

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Last modified on February 9, 2026