Call for Peer Reviewers - U.S. Department of Education

CALL FOR PEER REVIEWERS May 2016  The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) is seeking experienced peer reviewers for two upcoming grant competitions projected to occur in mid-August and early September 2016.  Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) makes grants to public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education, to establish interpreter training programs or to provide financial assistance for ongoing interpreter training programs to train a sufficient number of qualified interpreters throughout the country.  The grants are designed to train interpreters to effectively interpret and transliterate using spoken, visual, and tactile modes of communication; ensure the maintenance of the interpreting skills of qualified interpreters; and provide opportunities for interpreters to improve their skills in order to meet both the highest standards approved by certifying associations and the communication needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and individuals who are deaf-blind.  To qualify as a peer reviewer for these competitions, you must:  Demonstrate related subject matter experience;  Possess an active DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet (http://www.dnb.com);  Register your DUNS number with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1; and  Send your resume directly to Kristen Rhinehart-Fernandez, competition manager at Kristen.Rhinehart@ed.gov. In the subject line of the email, please enter “Interpreter Training Peer Review”.  In the body of the email, please include the title and CFDA of each competition that you would like to serve as a peer reviewer (this information is provided below).  Please note that selected peer reviewers must be available for the peer reviewer orientation and for all days of the panel review.  We estimate the review will take three business days for each competition.  This timeframe does not include one reading day or any additional time it may take to review the proposals or complete the required peer review documentation.  RSA is recruiting for the following grant competitions:  Experiential Learning Model Demonstration Center for Novice Interpreters and Baccalaureate Degree ASL-English Interpretation Programs (CFDA 84.160C). This competition is projected to occur at the end of August or early September.  Interpreter Training in Specialized Areas (CFDA 84.160D). This competition is projected to occur at the end of August or early September.  An ideal reviewer for the 84.160C and 84.160D competitions is a qualified ASL-English Interpreter (e.g., a certified interpreter with at least five or more years of experience).  A peer reviewer may also possess knowledge and experience in the field of interpreter education and interpreting in specialized areas, as well as working with individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, and Deaf-Blind.   We also encourage reviewers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or Deaf-Blind and work as interpreters.  In addition, peer reviewers may also possess one or more of the following secondary skill sets:  Knowledge and experience in developing and providing training and technical assistance. Program and financial grants management expertise at the Federal level.  Knowledge and experience in the field of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). Knowledge and experience in conducting a program evaluation.  If you are interested in the 84.160C or 84.160D grant competitions as a reviewer and you meet the peer reviewer qualifications outlined above, please send your resume along with a brief description of how your expertise and experience directly relates to each respective grant competition to Kristen Rhinehart-Fernandez, competition manager at:  Kristen.Rhinehart@ed.gov.  Please do not submit your resume if you intend to apply for one or both of these competitions.

IES Releases Research Funding Webinars Schedule

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) will hold a series of webinars for those who are interested in Fiscal Year 2017 funding opportunities. The webinars, hosted by the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) and the National Center for Education Research (NCER), are free and will cover a wide variety of topics. For more information on the sessions and to register, visit the IES funding webinars web page. 

NOTE: All times are Eastern Daylight Time

• IES/NCSER FY 2017 Special Education Research Grant Competition with a Focus on Teachers and Instructional Personnel, Tuesday, May 24^th, 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
• IES Basic Overview of Research Grants, Thursday, May 26^th, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• IES Overview of the Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research Topic under the Partnership and Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice or Policy Grant Program, Thursday, May 26^th, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
• IES Webinar on Funding Opportunities for Minority Serving Institutions, Tuesday, May 31^st, 1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
• IES Overview of the State and Local Education Programs and Policies Topic under the Partnership and Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice or Policy Grant Program, Thursday, June 2^nd, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
• IES/NCSER Special Education Research Training for Early Career Development and Mentoring, Tuesday, June 7^th, 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• IES Application Process, Wednesday, June 8^th, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
• Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluations of Education and Special Education Programs, Thursday, June 9^th, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
• Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Policy and Practice, June 16^th, 2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• IES Grant Writing Workshop, Friday, June 17^th, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• IES Application Process (repeated), Thursday, July 14^th, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.