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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 22, 2021 / Notices these obligations and ensure the rights of students with disabilities. In particular, the Center can assist students with disabilities and their families in understanding that in IHEs, students with disabilities have different rights and protections than they had in secondary school under Section 504 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA, 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq. Students with disabilities and their parents need to understand the differences in these rights and responsibilities as students with disabilities enter college and pursue postsecondary education. Specifically, unlike students in secondary school, postsecondary students with disabilities are responsible for requesting the academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and services, and other accommodations they need to have equal educational opportunity and are expected to comply with reasonable procedures that an IHE
may have concerning documentation of disability and the need for accommodations under Section 504 and the ADA.
Note: A more detailed explanation of the different rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities in secondary school and postsecondary institutions can be found in two pamphlets issued by the Departments Office for Civil Rights: Transition of Students With Disabilities To Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators, available at:
https www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/
ocr/transitionguide.html, and Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities, available at: https www2.ed.gov/about/offices/
list/ocr/transition.html.
Priority: This notice contains one absolute priority. In accordance with 34
CFR 75.105b2iv, this priority is from section 777a of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended HEA 20 U.S.C. 1140qa.
Absolute Priority: For FY 2021 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34
CFR 75.105c3, we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Entities that can demonstrate the experience and capacity to improve postsecondary recruitment, transition, retention, and completion rates of students with disabilities by providing the following:
1. Assistance to students and families.
The Center must provide information and technical assistance to students with disabilities and the families of
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students with disabilities to support students across the broad spectrum of disabilities, including a Information to assist individuals with disabilities who are prospective students of an IHE in planning for postsecondary education while the students are in secondary school;
b Information and technical assistance provided to individualized education program teams as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1414d1 for secondary school students with disabilities, and to early outreach and student services programs, including programs authorized under subparts 2, 4, and 5 of title IV of the HEA, to support students across a broad spectrum of disabilities with the successful transition to postsecondary education;
c Research-based supports, services, and accommodations which are available in postsecondary settings, including services provided by other agencies such as vocational rehabilitation;
d Information on student mentoring and networking opportunities for students with disabilities; and e Effective recruitment and transition programs at postsecondary educational institutions.
2. Assistance to institutions of higher education. The Center must provide information and technical assistance to faculty, staff, and administrators of IHEs to improve the services provided to, the accommodations for, the retention rates of, and the completion rates of, students with disabilities in higher education settings, which may include a Collection and dissemination of best and promising practices and materials for accommodating and supporting students with disabilities, including practices and materials supported by the grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements authorized under subparts 1, 2, and 3 of title VII, part D, of the HEA 20 U.S.C. 1140q;
b Development and provision of training modules for higher education faculty on exemplary practices for accommodating and supporting postsecondary students with disabilities across a range of academic fields, which may include universal design for learning and practices supported by the grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements authorized under subparts 1, 2, and 3 of title VII, part D, of the HEA
20 U.S.C. 1140q; and c Development of technology-based tutorials for higher education faculty and staff, including new faculty and graduate students, on best and promising practices related to support and retention of students with disabilities in postsecondary education.

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3. Information collection and dissemination. The Center will be responsible for building, maintaining, and updating a database of disability support services information with respect to IHEs, or for expanding and updating an existing database of disabilities support services information with respect to IHEs. This database must be made available to the general public through a website built to high technical standards of accessibility practicable for the broad spectrum of individuals with disabilities. This database and website must include available information on a Disability documentation requirements;
b Support services available;
c Links to financial aid;
d Accommodations policies;
e Accessible instructional materials;
f Other topics relevant to students with disabilities; and g The information in the report described in paragraph 5 below.
4. Disability support services. The Center must work with organizations and individuals with proven expertise related to disability support services for postsecondary students with disabilities to evaluate, improve, and disseminate information related to the delivery of high quality disability support services at IHEs.
5. Review and report. Not later than three years after the establishment of the National Center, and every two years thereafter, the National Center must prepare and disseminate a report to the Secretary and the authorizing committees analyzing the condition of postsecondary success for students with disabilities. The report must include a A review of the activities and the effectiveness of the programs authorized under title VII, part D of the HEA;
b Annual enrollment and graduation rates of students with disabilities in IHEs from publicly reported data;
c Recommendations for effective postsecondary supports and services for students with disabilities, and how such supports and services may be widely implemented at IHEs;
d Recommendations on reducing barriers to full participation for students with disabilities in higher education;
and e A description of the strategies with a demonstrated record of effectiveness in improving the success of such students in postsecondary education.
6. Staffing of the Center. In hiring employees of the National Center, the National Center must consider the expertise and experience of prospective employees in providing training and technical assistance to practitioners.
Note: Websites established or maintained to carry out any project
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