Special Studies Program; Final Priorities for Fiscal Years 1994- 1995

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Special Studies Program; Final Priorities for Fiscal Years 1994-

1995

AGENCY: Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priorities for Fiscal Years 1994-1995.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces final priorities for the Special

Studies program to ensure effective use of program funds and to direct

funds to areas of identified need during fiscal years 1994 and 1995.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take effect either 45 days after

publication in the Federal Register or later if the Congress takes

certain adjournments. If you want to know the effective date of these

priorities, call or write the Department of Education contact person.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Glidewell, U.S. Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3524 Switzer Building,

Washington, DC 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-9099. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Special Studies Program, authorized by

section 618 of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA), as amended, supports studies to evaluate the impact of the

IDEA, including efforts to provide a free appropriate public education

and early intervention services to infants, toddlers, children, and

youth with disabilities. The results of these studies must be included

in the annual report submitted to the Congress by the Department.

Section 618 also authorizes the Secretary to provide technical

assistance to participating State agencies in the implementation of the

study design, analysis, and reporting procedures.

On June 8, 1993, the Secretary published a notice of proposed

priority for this program (Technical Assistance to State Agencies

Participating in the State Agency-Federal Evaluation Studies Program)

in the Federal Register (58 FR 32207). Also, on July 7, 1993, the

Secretary published a notice of proposed priorities for the Research in

Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program in the Federal

Register (58 FR 36576). In response to comments received on the latter

announcement, one priority under the Research in Education of

Individuals with Disabilities Program is being published as a final

priority under the Special Studies Program.

These priorities support the National Education Goals by improving

our understanding of how to enable children and youth with disabilities

to reach the high levels of academic achievement called for by the

Goals.

Note: This notice of final priorities does not solicit

applications.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

In the notice of proposed priority, the Secretary invited comments

on the proposed priority under the Special Studies Program. The

Secretary did not receive any comments on the Special Studies priority,

and except for minor technical revisions, the Secretary has made no

changes since publication of the proposed priority.

However, in response to the Secretary's invitation in the notice of

proposed priorities for the Research in Education of Individuals with

Disabilities Program, four parties submitted comments on the priority

``State and local Education Efforts to Implement the Transition

Requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.'' An

analysis of those comments and of the changes in the proposed priority

follows. Technical and other minor changes--as well as suggested

changes the Secretary is not legally authorized to make under the

applicable statutory authority--are not addressed.

Comments on: State and Local Education Efforts To Implement the

Transition Requirements in the Individuals With Disabilities Education

Act

Comment: This priority was originally published in proposed form on

July 7, 1993 (58 FR 36576) as part of a package of fiscal years 1994

and 1995 priorities proposed under the Research in Education of

Individuals with Disabilities Program (Part E of IDEA). Three

commenters questioned whether Part E authorized studies of State and

local efforts to implement the transition requirements added to IDEA by

the 1990 Amendments. These commenters stated their opinion that these

studies were more appropriately funded under section 618 of Part B.

Discussion: While the Secretary believes that Part E is broad

enough in scope to support a wide variety of research and related

activities, including transition studies, the Secretary agrees with the

commenters that specific and explicit authority exists in section 618

to fund studies that assess progress in implementing IDEA as well as

evaluate efforts by State and local governments to provide a free

appropriate public education and early intervention services. See

section 618(a).

Moreover, funding this priority under section 618 is consistent

with the previous practice of the Department. Examples of this would be

recent projects under which (1) the State Educational Agency (SEA) in

South Dakota is examining the extent to which integration of special

education has been achieved, and (2) the Colorado SEA is examining the

effectiveness of the State's ``Standards-Based Education'' with respect

to students with disabilities. An analysis of the Department's

rationale for dropping the transition studies priority from the

Research package is also set forth in the Department's responses to

public comments in the final Research package that was published on

November 18, 1993 (58 FR 60928).

Finally, the Secretary notes that the Notice of Proposed Priority

for the Special Studies program, published on June 8, 1993 (58 FR

32206-2208), to which there were no public comments, stated the

Secretary might fund additional priorities, subject to meeting

rulemaking requirements.

Changes: This priority has been removed from the Research in

Education of Individuals with Disabilities Program, and is funded

instead as a final priority under the Special Studies program.

Comment: One commenter requested that the term ``student outcomes''

be further defined to specify domains of concern (such as educational,

vocational, social, etc.) and that there be emphasis placed on

``learning'' as an outcome to be included in the research.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees that educational outcomes should

be an essential part of transition planning and programs. The Secretary

believes that the priority as written places emphasis on educational

opportunities, instruction, and learning.

Changes: None.

Comment: One commenter identified several existing resources for

information from existing transition projects of national scope that

should be coordinated in order to avoid duplication of effort by the

study. This commenter also recommended that the priority should include

mention of the services available through the Department of Labor and

the Social Security Administration.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees with the recommendations.

Changes: The priority is changed to allow the project to compile

extant information in order to avoid duplication of effort, and

language has been added referencing the agencies mentioned by the

commenter.

Comment: Two commenters urged the Secretary to consider whether

there should be multiple, rather than single, awards supported under

this priority. The reasons expressed were that multiple awards permit

inquiry that targets conditions close to the practice level, permitting

examination of the complex interaction of features of policy,

procedure, practice, resources, history, etc., thus potentially

advancing greater understanding and giving greater external validity to

overall findings. The commenters felt that the recognized difficulties

of multiple awards could be overcome by a requirement to coordinate the

information so that it becomes optimally useful from the Federal

perspective.

Discussion: Given the current availability of funds and the need

for a national perspective, the Secretary believes that a single award

is the most appropriate choice at this time.

Changes: None.

Priorities:

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)) the Secretary gives an absolute

preference to applications that meet the following priorities. The

Secretary will fund under these competitions only applications that

meet these absolute priorities:

Absolute Priority 1--Technical Assistance to State Agencies

Participating in the State Agency-Federal Evaluation Studies Program

Background:

Section 618(d)(1) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA) authorizes cooperative agreements between State agencies and

the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate the impact and

effectiveness of programs provided for under the Act. These cooperative

agreements are awarded on a competitive basis to State educational

agencies or other State agencies that have been designated by the

Governor in each State for the purpose of administering an early

intervention program under part H of IDEA. The projects funded under

the section 618(d)(1) authority are referred to as the State Agency-

Federal Evaluation Studies projects.

To assist State agencies, section 618(d)(3) of IDEA authorizes the

provision of technical assistance to State agencies in the

implementation of the study design, analysis, and reporting procedures

of studies funded by the State Agency-Federal Evaluation Studies

projects.

The purpose of this priority is to establish a center for the

provision of technical assistance to State agencies in carrying out

evaluation studies funded by the State Agency-Federal Evaluation

Studies projects competition (SAFES). The intent is to build an

evaluation capacity within State agencies for the purpose of generating

information that is usable for improving programs and services for

children and youth with disabilities. The Secretary intends to make an

award with a project period of up to 36 months. The Secretary may make

continuation awards for two additional years, subject to the

requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and, under 34 CFR 75.234(a)(4), the

Secretary will assess in particular the continued need for the center

awarded under this priority.

Priority: The specific goal of the center is to support the

development of State agencies' technical capacity to carry out

evaluation studies funded under the State Agency-Federal Evaluation

Studies.

The center must--

(a) Develop a diverse, overall portfolio of technical assistance

services and products;

(b) Develop with each State agency an individual plan for technical

assistance that--

(1) Specifies the technical assistance services and products to be

provided and the method that will be used to deliver the technical

assistance services and products. The methods of technical assistance

must be based upon the needs identified in the individual technical

assistance plans, and include, but not be limited to, identification

and use of external, specialized consultants to serve the project

throughout the project period, and networking among projects to

encourage peer support and problem solving; and

(2) Considers the varying needs over the life of the project, from

preliminary stakeholder involvement and State support for the study to

dissemination and utilization of study results;

(c) Include services and products based on--

(1) An analysis of technical assistance needs of each State

evaluation project;

(2) Relevant State evaluation project information such as project

proposals and negotiation materials;

(3) An analysis and syntheses of cross-project needs; and

(4) An analysis of the Department's need for information relevant

to policy making;

(d) Arrange for the delivery of the technical assistance;

(e) Develop and disseminate technical assistance products;

(f) Disseminate cross-project dissemination products;

(g) Facilitate networking among projects and technical assistance

providers;

(h) Conduct large and small group meetings to deliver technical

assistance;

(i) Develop a technical assistance philosophy that is based upon

consideration of--

(1) The environment in which State agencies are operating and the

challenges in conducting evaluation studies in those environments; and

(2) The need of the Department for valid and supportable study

results in order to provide Congress with information for policy

making; and

(j) Develop and implement an evaluation plan that addresses the

effects of the center's activities related to its impact on audiences

having direct contact with Center products, information, and

activities, as well as its impact on the capacity of State agencies to

evaluate the impact of special education programs and services.

Absolute Priority 2--State and Local Education Efforts to Implement the

Transition Requirements in the Individuals With Disabilities Education

Act

Background:

Despite the progress and accomplishments related to implementation

of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) over the last

several years, much remains to be done to improve the outcomes of youth

with disabilities. Expanded transition services, now mandated by IDEA,

highlight the importance of individualized planning and implementation

of specific activities targeted to adolescents, to focus educators'

attention on outcomes and the preparedness of youth to assume

productive adult lives.

IDEA provides for a number of specific activities that are defined

as transition services. These services are to be made available to all

students age 16 and older, and may be extended to students age 14 or

younger, if appropriate. Transition services are defined in IDEA as a

coordinated set of activities for a student, designed within an

outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-

school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational

training, integrated employment (including supported employment),

continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or

community participation. The coordinated set of activities must be

based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the

student's preferences and interests, and must include instruction,

community experiences, the development of employment and other post-

school adult living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of

daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation (20 U.S.C.

1401(a)(19)).

There is considerable State and local variation with respect to the

implementation of these expanded requirements. Very little information

exists on the nature and extent of State and local implementation,

including policies, procedures, and practices. Moreover, policymakers,

administrators, and educators at the Federal, State, and local levels

lack information regarding the nature of student participation and the

impact these services have on student outcomes; the extent other

agencies are involved in the transition process; and the degree

transition services access and use information and services available

from a variety of Federal programs.

This priority would support one cooperative agreement to study the

progress being made to implement the transition services mandated by

IDEA. The specific goals of the research are to describe Federal,

State, and local implementation, including policies, procedures, and

practices associated with transition services; to identify barriers to

effective implementation; and to evaluate the impact of transition

services on student outcomes.

Priority:

(a) The project must include substudies (or compile extant

information that obviates the need for a study) in the following areas:

(1) The range and variation in State and local policies related to

the definitional components of transition services;

(2) Student participation in transition planning, and student

outcomes associated with implementation of transition services;

(3) State and local policies, practices and procedures related to

the implementation of the transition services, with information

obtained from local service providers (the substudy may include visits

to illustrative sites);

(4) Interagency involvement in transition planning and services,

including a description of the impediments associated with interagency

involvement in transition planning and provision of services; and

(5) Federal program services (including those of the Department of

Labor and the Social Security Administration) and relevant policies

related to meeting the transition requirements, including special

education, vocational education, rehabilitation services, adult

education, postsecondary education, the Job Training Partnership Act,

and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

(b) In planning and implementing the substudies, the project must

include appropriate policymakers, administrators, and service providers

involved in the design and delivery of transition services to youth

with disabilities.

(c) The project must submit for approval--(1) A plan for conducting

the substudies and disseminating reports within 60 days of the start of

the project;

(2) A report for substudy (1) by the end of year one;

(3) Reports for substudies (2), (3), and (4) by the end of year

two;

(4) A report for substudy (5) by the middle of year 3; and

(5) A final report at the end of year three. The final report must

include the following: An executive summary, introduction, project

objectives, methodology, findings organized by substudy, summary, and

conclusions regarding the progress being made by State and local

agencies to implement the IDEA transition requirements.

The project must budget for two trips, annually, to Washington, DC,

for (1) a two-day Research Project Directors' meeting; and (2) another

two-day meeting to meet with the project officer of the Office of

Special Education Programs (OSEP) and with other OSEP work groups, as

appropriate, to plan and review project activities and progress.

APPLICABLE PROGRAM REGULATIONS: 34 CFR part 327. See in particular

Sec. 327.2(a) for eligible applicants under Sec. 327.10(a) and the

technical assistance program described in Sec. 327.10(d).

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1418.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.159, Special

Studies Program)

Dated: January 13, 1994.

Judith E. Heumann,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 94-1397 Filed 1-19-94; 8:45 am]

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