Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP): Technical Assistance on State Data Collection--IDEA Data Management Center; Assistance Listing Number 84.373M | ED GRANTS 062525 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 062525 003

This funding opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), through the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). It is a discretionary grant competition offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning the Department expects to have substantial involvement in the funded project rather than operating at arm's length. The opportunity is titled "Technical Assistance on State Data Collection - IDEA Data Management Center" and is listed under Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.373M. The funding opportunity number is ED GRANTS 062525 003, and the posted closing date for applications is July 25, 2025. The notice emphasizes that the short description is only a synopsis and that applicants need to rely on the official Federal Register application notice for the full set of requirements, priorities, selection criteria, performance measures, and submission instructions. It also points applicants to the Department's Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published December 23, 2024) for the standard application logistics and procedures.

At its core, the program is designed to strengthen how States collect, manage, analyze, and report data required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The central goal is capacity-building: helping States meet IDEA data collection and reporting requirements more effectively and accurately. This includes requirements connected to both Part B (services for school-aged children with disabilities, generally through State educational agencies and local school systems) and Part C (early intervention services for infants and toddlers, generally through State lead agencies). The program is framed as technical assistance (TA), which typically includes activities such as developing tools and guidance, providing targeted support to States, offering training and professional development, facilitating peer learning among States, and helping improve data systems and data governance so that reporting is timely, consistent, and reliable.

The legal authority and funding structure are tied to IDEA section 611(c)(1), which allows the Secretary of Education to reserve up to one-half of one percent of the amounts appropriated under IDEA Part B in each fiscal year for technical assistance activities authorized under IDEA section 616(i). The notice provides context on the size of this set-aside: for fiscal year 2025, the maximum amount the Secretary could reserve under this authority is $42,657,297 (with cumulative inflation adjustments). For fiscal year 2025 specifically, the Secretary plans to reserve $27,500,000 for these purposes. This is important background because it explains that the competition is part of a larger national investment in improving IDEA implementation through better data capacity, not just a standalone grant.

IDEA section 616(i) is a key driver of the work the funded center is expected to support. Under that section, the Department must review State capacity to collect and analyze the data needed for IDEA oversight and implementation, including data necessary for implementing IDEA sections 616 and 642. In practical terms, that means ensuring States can collect, analyze, and accurately report the information the federal government uses to monitor IDEA performance and compliance. The notice also references IDEA section 618, which is the major statutory basis for required State data submissions (for example, child count and other related data collections). The overall message is that the Department is seeking a national technical assistance resource that can help States shore up weak points in data processes, data quality, and reporting accuracy so that federal and State decision-making rests on dependable information.

In addition to the IDEA authorities, the opportunity points to expanded direction from the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-47). That law gives the Secretary explicit authority to use reserved IDEA section 611(c) funds to administer and carry out additional services and activities intended to improve data collection, coordination, quality, and use under IDEA Parts B and C. This matters because it signals that the center is not only about compliance reporting, but also about broader improvements in how IDEA data are coordinated across agencies and used for program improvement. In other words, the Department is reinforcing that higher-quality IDEA data should support better outcomes, stronger oversight, and more informed policy and practice, not simply meet reporting deadlines.

Eligibility for this competition is broad and includes a wide range of potential applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); State lead agencies under IDEA Part C; local educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools that qualify as LEAs under State law; institutions of higher education (IHEs); other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; freely associated States and outlying areas; Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations. The listing of "Others" in the eligibility field reflects that the program is open beyond just State agencies, which is common for national technical assistance centers that are often run by universities, nonprofits, or specialized organizations with expertise in data systems, special education policy, and technical assistance delivery.

Finally, several key administrative details are flagged in the synopsis. The Department anticipates making one award under this opportunity, which strongly suggests a single national center or lead entity rather than multiple regional awards. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided summary, so applicants would need to consult the Federal Register notice for the estimated range, project period, and any year-by-year funding expectations. Because this is a cooperative agreement, applicants should expect project design requirements that accommodate ongoing coordination with OSEP, federal input into major deliverables, and strong accountability for performance measures. Anyone considering an application would need to look closely at the Federal Register notice for required deliverables, the anticipated scope of national technical assistance (such as universal supports versus targeted supports), and the exact application package and submission rules referenced in the Department's Common Instructions.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP): Technical Assistance on State Data Collection--IDEA Data Management Center; Assistance Listing Number 84.373M" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.373.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-06-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-07-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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