Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS): Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP): State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.323A | ED GRANTS 041526 001

State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) Program (Assistance Listing 84.323A) - FAQs

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the U.S. Department of Education State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) Program, administered through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The Assistance Listing Number is 84.323A, and it is a discretionary, competitive grant competition (Funding Opportunity Number ED GRANTS 041526 001).

2) What is the main goal of the SPDG program?

The main goal is to help State educational agencies (SEAs) strengthen how they recruit, prepare, and continually develop professionals who serve infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. The intent is system-level improvement so outcomes for children with disabilities improve.

3) What kinds of improvements is SPDG designed to support?

SPDG is designed to support statewide reforms and improvements to personnel preparation and professional development systems that support early intervention, special education, and transition services. The emphasis is on building or upgrading coherent professional learning and personnel development structures, not funding isolated trainings.

4) Is this grant meant to fund one-time trainings or stand-alone workshops?

No. The program is described as supporting coherent, statewide professional learning and personnel development structures rather than isolated trainings. The focus is on aligning preservice preparation, inservice professional development, and ongoing supports so evidence-based practices can be implemented with fidelity.

5) Who is eligible to apply for SPDG (84.323A)?

Only State educational agencies are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include the SEA from any of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the outlying areas (U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

6) Can entities other than a State educational agency apply (such as universities, districts, or nonprofits)?

Based on the provided opportunity description, eligibility is limited to State educational agencies only. No additional eligible applicant types are listed in the information provided.

7) How is SPDG connected to IDEA?

SPDG is explicitly tied to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Awards are intended to fund activities laid out in the state plan required under IDEA section 653 (20 U.S.C. 1453). This means the grant supports implementing a state-designed plan aligned to IDEA requirements.

8) Does SPDG fund brand-new ideas that are not part of the state plan?

The description indicates the grant is not simply for new ideas; it is intended for carrying out a state-designed plan for improving the capacity and effectiveness of the workforce serving children with disabilities across early intervention, K-12 services, and transition planning.

9) What populations and service areas are intended to benefit from SPDG activities?

The opportunity targets the professionals serving infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. It supports systems that strengthen early intervention, special education (including K-12 services), and transition services.

10) What is meant by "system-level improvement" in this program?

In this context, system-level improvement refers to statewide reform and improvement of personnel preparation and professional development systems. The goal is to improve how the state prepares and supports the workforce over time, including alignment across preservice preparation, inservice training, and ongoing implementation supports.

11) What is the funding instrument type and category for this opportunity?

The funding instrument type is a Grant, and the opportunity category is Education.

12) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this competition?

The Funding Opportunity Number is ED GRANTS 041526 001.

13) When was this opportunity posted, and what is the application deadline?

The opportunity was posted/created on April 15, 2026. The original application closing date is June 16, 2026.

14) How many awards does the Department expect to make?

The Department anticipates making about 7 awards under this competition (Expected Awards: 7).

15) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is not listed in the provided source information. Applicants would need to consult the full notice or related program materials to confirm any maximum award amount and other funding parameters.

16) Where can applicants find the instructions for how to apply?

The opportunity directs applicants to follow the Department of Education Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234). That referenced notice is the controlling source for submission addresses, procedural requirements, and standard discretionary grant application instructions.

17) Does the opportunity text itself include the submission address and step-by-step application instructions?

No. The description states that where and how to obtain and submit an application are not restated in the opportunity text itself. Instead, applicants are directed to the Department of Education Common Instructions published in the Federal Register (August 29, 2025; 90 FR 42234).

18) Are outlying areas treated differently for purposes of consolidating this grant with other funds?

Yes. The opportunity notes that Public Law 95-134, which sometimes allows consolidation of certain grants for outlying areas, does not apply to funds awarded under this competition. This means these funds cannot be combined under that consolidation authority.

19) What is the overall intended outcome of SPDG funding?

The intended outcome is improved educational and life results for children with disabilities, achieved by strengthening statewide systems that recruit, prepare, and develop the personnel who provide early intervention, special education, and transition services.

20) What is the key takeaway for applicants about what SPDG is trying to fund?

The key takeaway is that SPDG is a competitive federal grant for SEAs to implement an IDEA-aligned state plan and improve statewide personnel preparation and professional development systems, focusing on coherent structures and fidelity of evidence-based practices rather than isolated, one-off training activities.