Choice-Making Among Youth Ages 3-11

Choice-Making Among Youth Ages 3-11 is sponsored by Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD). Aims to increase choice-making skills among children with developmental disabilities aged 3-11, fostering autonomy and responsibility.

RFA: Choice-Making Among Youth Ages 3-11 - TCDD RFA: Choice-Making Among Youth Ages 3-11 TCDD has issued a Request for Applications (RFA) for a new grant project that will increase choice-making skills among children with developmental disabilities (DD) from ages 3-11. Strengthening choice-making skills in children with DD fosters a sense of responsibility and autonomy.

Promoting choice-making in children at younger ages will put them in a better position to make self-determined choices in adolescence and adulthood. TCDD has approved funding of up to $300,000 per year for one organization for up to three years. To apply, you must first submit an RFA application request form .

Applications for this RFA are due by 11:59 p. m. CT on Monday, Dec.

7. Late applications will not be accepted. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires students receiving special education services to begin participating in transition planning by age 14.

However, there is growing recognition that many students enter this process without the self-determination, decision-making, and choice-making skills needed to actively and effectively participate in planning for their future. Developing these skills throughout childhood can better prepare students to make informed decisions about education, as well as employment, independent living, and community participation after high school.

TCDD is invested in building skills and empowering youth with disabilities to live self-determined lives. This initiative aims to develop and demonstrate effective strategies for fostering choice-making skills in children ages 3 to 11. The project focuses on early and middle childhood as key developmental stages to lay the groundwork for self-determination during adolescence and early adulthood.

Choice-making is one of the first and most basic skills to develop and build for self-determination. Choice-making is commonly referred to as the selection of an item or activity from an array of options at a particular moment in time. Mastering choice-making skills requires development and consistent practice; individuals with disabilities too often have limited experience making choices.

Self-Determination Milestones Self-Determination Expectations in Neurodivergent Children Trust, Attachment, Motor skills Express needs, Early autonomy Use of alternative communication such as gestures, Sensory-regulated choices Language, Self-help, Social interaction Choice making, Basic problem solving Visual supports for choices, Structured routines, Encouragement of self-expression Competence, Logic, Peer-interaction Goal setting, Self-monitoring Scaffolded decision-making, Goal setting through visual charts or guided prompts 12-14 (Early Adolescence) Identity, Abstract reasoning Personal values, Independence, Future planning Individualized planning, Support for self-advocacy At every age, children can make choices in their homes, schools, and communities.

For children with disabilities, having regular opportunities to make choices helps them learn about their preferences, build confidence, and develop a sense of independence. While it can sometimes feel risky for parents and caregivers to step back and allow children to make their own decisions, even when mistakes are possible, those experiences are an important part of learning and growth.

Choice-making is a skill that develops through practice. Something as simple as choosing a game to play, selecting an activity, deciding what to wear, or expressing a preference can help children learn that their opinions matter and that their choices have value. These opportunities can also lead to stronger communication skills as children learn to express their wants, needs, interests, and goals in ways that work for them.

When families, schools, and other supportive people in a child’s life intentionally create opportunities for choice-making, they provide a safe environment for children to experience both successful and unsuccessful decisions. Children learn that making mistakes is a natural part of learning and that they have trusted adults who can help them reflect, problem-solve, and try again.

Over time, these experiences help children build the confidence, responsibility, and self-determination needed to take a more active role in decisions that affect their lives.

By introducing and supporting choice-making at an early age, families, teachers, siblings, and other supporters can help children develop the skills they need to become self-determined adults who are better prepared to make decisions about their education, employment, relationships, and community participation. Identify and implement age-appropriate, evidence-based strategies to teach choice-making in children ages 3–5 and 6–11.

Demonstrate how development of choice-making skills contributes to self-determination at home, at school, and in the community. Create replicable models and educational tools for families, educators, and service providers in both rural and urban settings. Develop training materials and resources that parent advocacy organizations and school systems can adopt to expand access to skills training.

The project should include strategies to develop choice-making skills across a variety of communication styles and support needs. This requires understanding how each child communicates preferences, decisions, and interests with family members, educators, and others in their support network. For example, some children may need additional time to process options before making a choice.

Others may benefit from visual supports , verbal prompts, assistive technology, or alternative and augmentative communication strategies . Training should in corporat e methods to i dentify and understand each child’s unique communication approach and help families and educators tailor instruction and supports .

Suggested Project Structure: Plan and implement choice-making strategies with children ages 3–5 in both rural and urban settings. Continue support for the 3–5 cohort and expansion to children ages 6–11, with a focus on goal setting, self-monitoring, and peer interaction. Evaluate outcomes, refine tools, and develop a replicable model for broader use.

The project will work with cohorts of children ages 3-5 and 6-11, recognizing that learning to make choices starts early and continues to develop over time. Activities will be designed to help children build confidence in expressing preferences, making decisions, and communicating what is important to them in ways that are meaningful and appropriate for their age and development.

The project w ill also work closely with families and caregivers, recognizing that parents play a critical role in helping children practice choice-making skills every day. Families should receive practical tools, guidance, and support to create opportunities for children to make choices during everyday activities, such as selecting clothing, choosing foods, deciding on activities, or expressing preferences about routines and schedules.

The project shoul d help parents identify ways to encourage decision-making while supporting their child’s unique communication style and support needs. In addition, the project should collaborate with teachers and school staff to reinforce choice-making skills in educational settings.

Collaboration may include identifying opportunities to incorporate choice-making into a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), as appropriate, and creating regular opportunities for students to practice these skills durin g the school day.

By working together across home and school environments, families and educators can provide cons istent opportunities for children to build the skills and confidence needed to participate more actively in decisions that affect their lives now and in the future. Applicants must implement the project in at least two geographically distinct communities, including at least one rural and one urban location.

By testing the approach in different settings, the project can identify what works across communities with different resources, populations, and support systems. The goal is to develop a model that is flexible, practical, and relevant for families and schools in a variety of geographic areas. Partne r with parent advocacy organizations to recruit and support families.

Collabora te with school districts to understand and document the structures and practices of IEPs . Develop and test tools such as choice-making charts, daily routines, and IEP-aligned goals. Collaborat e with other community providers (early childhood, healthcare, and others) to demonstrate choice- making skills in daily life.

Collect data on skill development and practices at home, school, and other community settings. In addition to the collaborators and partners already mentioned in this RFA, t he grantee may also involve an expert in developmental medicine, developmental psychology, or a similar field to guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational goals and activities.

Applicants must submit a letter of support from an educational partner that is committed to supporting the demonstration of choice-making skills for participating students. Letters of support may be provided by an early childhood service center, an individual school, a school district, an Education Service Center, or another entity within the education system that will actively support project implementation and student participation.

Expected Outputs and Outcomes A model for teaching choice-making skills to children ages 3–11: Develop or adapt a model for teaching choice-making skills to children ages 3–11, including instructional methods, activities, and guidance for implementation.

A toolkit of strategies and resources for families and educators: Develop or adapt a toolkit that includes practical strategies, activities, and resources for families and caregivers to support children’s choice-making skills.

Documentation of learning and skill-building education and training in both rural and urban contexts: Document the number of children who participate in choice-making activities and assess changes in their knowledge, confidence, or demonstrated use of choice-making skills using appropriate measures. Track the number of training activities, participants reached, participant type, and geographic areas served.

Documentation of learning and skill-building education and training in both rural and urban contexts. Document ed examples of children who have practiced choice – making activities . Story collection such as video s , photos, or drawings from children and families who benefited from the project .

Recommendations for integrating choice- making into IEPs and transition planning. A final report, along with resources and materials for use by advocacy groups and educational institutions . Funding, Duration, and Application Deadline The anticipated total amount of federal funding available for this RFA is $ 300,000 per year for one organization.

Funding is available for up to three years. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p. m.

Central Time on Monday, Dec. 7, 2026. To submit an application, please fill out the RFA Application Request form .

Submitting this form does not mean you have to apply for funding, and it is not a letter of intent. We use the information you provide only to give you access to the application. After you submit your request, you will receive an automated email with a link to the Request for Applications (RFA) and a unique access code.

Check your spam or junk folder if you do not receive the email within a few minutes. Submit only one request per RFA. Sending multiple requests may delay your access to the application.

Need help? Contact us at apply@tcdd. texas.

gov if you have trouble with the form or do not receive the automated email. Please allow one to two business days for a response from TCDD staff. Applications must be submitted online.

Late applications will not be accepted. Prior to the deadline to submit applications, an applicant may withdraw or modify its application by submitting a written request to apply@tcdd. texas.

gov . The applicant can withdraw their application after submission by submitting a written request to apply@tcdd. texas.

gov . T o learn more about the application process , who is eligible to apply, the evaluation process, a nd more, visit our How to Apply webpage. Please email questions about this RFA to apply@tcdd.

texas. gov by Wednesday, Dec. 2.

TCDD will post answers to questions on this webpage on a regular basis until Friday, Dec. 4. The Texas Transition and Employment Guide includes the following recommendations in its Pathways (PDF, 5.

5 MB) resource. Participate in transition assessments to share what you like and don’t like. Talk about your skills and strengths.

Ask who will be attending your ARD meeting and what will be discussed. = Invite someone to come with you to the meeting to be your support. If you cannot attend your ARD meeting, ask someone who will be there to share your thoughts with your ARD committee.

Other examples of promising choice-making resources for youth with developmental disabilities and families include: The Next Steps Checklist : Created by the Texas Education Agency, this tool focuses on specific skill areas that help predict postsecondary success for children and adult students with disabilities: Your Life, Your Choice: Supported Decision-Making Toolkit : Developed by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, Michigan Health and Human Services, and the Supported Decision-Making Coalition to help individuals, families, and those who support them throughout the lifespan to make decisions.

Resources and strategies are organized by life stage – Birth to Kindergarten, Elementary School Years, Middle School Years, High School Years, Transition Years, Adult Life, and Aging. Submitted Questions and Answers Please email questions about this RFA to apply@tcdd. texas.

gov by Wednesday, Dec. 2. TCDD will post answers to questions on this webpage on a regular basis until Friday, Dec.

4. Question 1: Can different investigators at the same university submit separate applications for this RFA, or is each institution limited to one application? Answer: If there are different parties at the same institution that have unique and separate applications for the RFA, they may be submitted.

Question 2: If Baylor serves as the lead applicant, may an out-of-state institution participate as a collaborating partner or receive a subaward? Are there any restrictions or approval requirements for these arrangements? Answer: Yes, this is allowed .

Question 3: The RFA asks applicants to implement the project in at least two geographically distinct communities, including at least one rural and one urban location. I did not find a definition of rural or urban in the RFA, the How to Apply page, or the Grant Definitions page. How does TCDD define rural and urban for this requirement, and is there a specific source or list applicants should use?

Urban community: A project location situated within a Census-designated urban area. A qualifying urban area is a densely settled area encompassing at least 2,000 housing units or at least 5,000 people. Rural community: Any population, housing, or territory outside a Census-designated urban area.

An urban or rural poverty area is an area where 20% or more of the population lives below the poverty level. TCDD uses Census data to identify designated poverty counties. That poverty-area designation does not by itself define whether a proposed project community is urban or rural.

These should be treated as two separate determinations: Urban/rural classification: Where the community falls under the Census geographic classification . Poverty-area status: Whether the applicable geographic area meets the poverty threshold for reduced match. Question 4: Allowable Cost Share - What specific costs are allowable and unallowable in the cost share budget?

Are there any restrictions or preferences regarding cash versus in-kind contributions? Answer: Refer to the Code of Federal Regulations for Cost Sharing. Please also reference the Grant Application Budget Instructions on the How to Apply for Funding page on TCDD’s website for the allowable IDC rate and use of unrecovered IDC.

Question 5: Unrecovered Indirect Costs - The budget instructions state that indirect costs above 15% may be allowed as cost share contributions. Could you please confirm whether this means we can use unrecovered indirect costs, calculated as the difference between our institution’s federally negotiated indirect cost rate and the 15% rate allowed by TCDD, to satisfy the required cost share?

If so, can the entire unrecovered IDC amount be counted toward the match, or are there any limitations or additional approval requirements? Answer: Yes, you can use the additional indirect as Match. Refer to the Code of Federal Regulations for Cost Sharing.

Please also reference the Grant Application Budget Instructions on the How to Apply for Funding page on TCDD’s website for the allowable IDC rate and use of unrecovered IDC. Question 6: Since IDC is limited to 10%, are we allowed to use any of the unrecovered IDC towards the match requirement? Answer: Yes, you can use the additional indirect as Match.

Refer to the Code of Federal Regulations for Cost Sharing. Please also reference the Grant Application Budget Instructions on the How to Apply for Funding page on TCDD’s website for the allowable IDC rate and use of unrecovered IDC. Question 7: The guidelines state that the anticipated federal funding amount for this RFA is $300,000 per year for one organization, and that funding is available for up to three years.

However, in the application breakdown, it states that budgets should be developed for the first 12 months of a project period. Am I to understand that when we submit the application and budget, we should only be submitting for a 12-month project period not to exceed $300,000? Question 8: We have a federally negotiated IDC rate agreement, but IDC is limited to 10%, correct?

Are we able to use unrecovered IDC towards the match requirement? Answer: Yes, you can use the additional indirect as Match. Refer to the Code of Federal Regulations for Cost Sharing.

Please also reference the Grant Application Budget Instructions on the How to Apply for Funding page on TCDD’s website for the allowable IDC rate and use of unrecovered IDC. Question 9: Per the RFA, the match requirement for non-poverty counties must be at least 25% (and 10% for poverty counties).

However, when I use the TCDD Match Calculator, it reads as if we should be including both poverty and non-poverty counties in the budget/application. Are we required to include both poverty and non-poverty counties in the application? And if so, and we were to ask for the full $300,000 in year 1, the amounts below circled in red is the match amount that we would need to provide, correct?

Answer: Applicants will need to decide in which counties their grant activities will be conducted and then add the appropriate poverty and non-poverty number of counties in the Match Calculator to determine the Match required. If you request the full $300,000 and your grant activities will be conducted statewide, then the amount of Match on your Match Calculator is correct.

Question 10: We appreciate clarification on the following - The evaluation and scoring criteria for this RFA. Answer: The evaluation criteria are listed on the RFA posting page and listed under the Application Review and Evaluation section on the How to Apply for Funding webpage.

Question 11: We appreciate clarification on the following - Whether in-kind contributions, such as staff time and facility space, and indirect costs may count toward the non-federal match. Answer: Yes, you can use these costs toward Match. Refer to the Code of Federal Regulations for Cost Sharing.

Please also reference the Grant Application Budget Instructions on the How to Apply for Funding page on TCDD’s website for the allowable IDC rate and use of unrecovered IDC. Question 12: We appreciate clarification on the following - Whether a project based in Bexar County that also serves families from federally designated poverty counties may apply the reduced 10% match to activities in those counties.

Answer: Applicants will need to decide in which counties their grant activities will be conducted and then add the appropriate poverty and non-poverty number of counties in the Match Calculator to determine the Match required. Question 13: We appreciate clarification on the following - The deadline for submitting questions and whether any information sessions are planned. Answer: The deadline to submit questions is Wednesday, Dec.

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